What is Fucoidan?
Fucoidan is a naturally occurring long chain of polysaccharides found in brown seaweed. A polysaccharide is a carbohydrate, such as starch or glycogen, that consists of multiple sugar molecules bonded together. It is the source of the sliminess you feel when you touch brown seaweeds. It is found in kombu and wakame, but it is most significantly found in mozuku.
Discovery of Fucoidan & Health Benefits
Fucoidan functions to protect the seaweed from water-borne pathogens and other environmental stressors and diseases. Not only does it help the seaweed it is found in, but when extracted and consumed by humans, it also has significant health benefits for the human body, as well.
Fucoidan was first discovered as the source of sliminess in 1913 by Professor Kylin of Uppsala University in Sweden. It was not until 1957 when researcher Spring discovered the anticoagulant effect, or blood thinning. In the 1970s, the anti-cancer properties were founded and researched and then in 1988, fucoidan's antiviral properties were also founded and more articles were published. It wasn't until the 1990s when fucoidan started gaining a lot of attention and more research was carried out about its apoptotic effect on tumors, or programmed cell death, ability to kill E. coli -157 without producing verotoxin that causes harmful side effects, antibacterial, anti-aging, anti-allergic, and immunostimulatory effects, or the enhancing of immune responses.
In the early 2000s, fucoidan was further studied for its ability to suppress the side effects of anticancer drugs, help prevent gout, and help in reducing hangover symptoms by lowering blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentration.
Now the popularity of fucoidan is a snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger every year as more people discover its fascinating health benefits for the body.
Are All Fucoidans the Same?
No, the efficacy of fucoidan depends on the extraction method and seaweed it is derived from. Seaweeds like kombu and wakame produce higher amounts of another polysaccharide called alginic acid and lower amounts of fucoidan. However, more than 90% of the polysaccharides found in mozuku seaweed are fucoidan.
What Does This Mean?
If you just started learning about fucoidan and are considering consuming fucoidan for its health benefits, it is suggested you consume any fucoidan product made using Okinawa Fucoidan. If you are well into your fucoidan journey and are wondering if you are actually seeing any changes in your health, you likely may not be if you are not consuming Okinawa Mozuku-derived fucoidan.
Fucoidan is a powerful component and has only recently been gaining more and more attention. Consider adding it to your daily routine and start your longevity journey without even realizing it. Haitai has its very own Okinawa Fucoidan supplement if you are interested in trying it for yourself and it can be found right here.