Seven+ Superfoods, Part 2: Fucoidan (Brown Seaweed)

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This is Part 2 in a series of Seven+ Superfoods. This post is dedicated to Fucoidan (Brown Seaweed), also known as “Virgin Mother’s Milk,” or Laminaria japonica.

Why is Fucoidan a Superfood?

Seaweed in general, and Brown Seaweed in particular, have been used for centuries to stabilize health and speed healing.

The Fucoidan in Brown Seaweed helps to protect the body from viruses as well as cancer. How? Fucoidan bolsters cellular protection by preventing the virus from penetrating the healthy cell. It also restricts replication of the virus in adjacent healthy cells, thus stopping the virus in its tracks. You can see now how, through the protection of Fucoidan, cancer can not spread through the cells of the body.

Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide, also offers anti-clotting agents which protects the heart.

So why is it called “Virgin Mother’s Milk”? Fucoidan contains all the same nutrients and healing abilities as breast milk – but I bet you already figured that out

I am so impressed with Fucoidan – nourishing healthy cells while obliterating cancer cells! I think I just found my new favorite superfood

Fucoidan contains these eight essential saccharides:

Mannose – prevents a wide range of infections including bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic. Eases inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. Lowers triglyceride levels in diabetics
Fucose – . Increases growth factors IGF-1 & 2, which are identical to those found in breastmilk. Activates stem cells. Stimulates bone growth and repair. Re-pigments greying hair. Naturally high ORAC value. Boosts immune system.
Galactose – accelerates wound healing. Increases calcium absorption.
Glucose – energy source. Stimulates calcium absorption. Enhances memory and can prevent Alzheimer’s.
N-Acetylgalactosamine – prevents spreading of tumors and HIV activity.
N-Acetylglucosamine – essential to retaining knowledge. Helps repair cartilage. Repairs mucosal-lining defensive barrier which aids those suffering from ulcerative colitis and intestinal cystitis. Decreases pain and inflammation.
N-Acetylneurominic Acid – vital for brain development. Anti-bacterial and anti-viral, this nutrient is also found in breast milk.
Xylose – also anti-bacterial and anti-viral, has been associated with preventing digestive cancers.

What can Fucoidan Help With?

In addition to what I already mentioned, Fucoidan has been shown to:

cause cancer cells to commit suicide
be the most powerful anti-inflammatory
block tumor cells from spreading
enhance immune system
detoxify the body
protect heart by decreasing bad cholesterol and high blood pressure
protect against heartburn/acid reflux by healing digestive tract lining
control diabetes
maintain optimal kidney function
support proper joint functions
support healthy blood flow and the circulatory system

(scroll down for scientific studies)

Where does Fucoidan come from?

The warm, clear waters of the South Pacific are home to this superfood. Brown Seaweed grows in abundance and has been prized by locals for centuries due to the super nutrient Fucoidan.

Note: be careful where you source your Fucoidan, as many brands rely on brown seaweed from Japan’s polluted waters.

Where can I get Fucoidan?

If you live in the South Pacific, you’re in luck!

Actually, Fucoidan extract itself is the best way to consume it. Cuz let’s face it, you’d have to consume a lot of salty seaweed to get a good dose of Fucoidan, especially if you need healing and restoration now.

I’ve been browsing sources and found a supplemental juice that included fucoidan, but a juice isn’t ideal – I want it in the potent extract form. This juice which featured fucoidan also included other common fruit juices, and unfortunately contained the toxic sodium benzoate. It was also expensive at $53 for a one-month supply.

There are the hard capsules you can get for $23/month, but like other similar products, they are only 5% absorbable by the body. So what’s the point?

Where does Lea get Fucoidan ?

I personally choose to get my Fucoidan in extract form via eXfuze’s Seven+ as it also contains many other botanical superfoods extracts including Acai, Goji, Mangosteen, Noni, Gac, Sea Buckthorn, Grape Seed, Pomegranate, Wild Blueberry, and Aloe all in one concentrated dose.

eXfuze sources their Fucoidan from clean and pure waters – no risk of contamination with this quality company.

Seven+’s botanical superfood supplement combines potent, organically-grown and wild-crafted extracts to ensure maximum absorption.

And sometimes as important is what a supplement does NOT have. Seven+ does not have sodium benzoate (toxic when combined with Vitamin C), MSG, high fructose corn syrup or any other artificial sweeteners, chemicals, synthetic vitamins. Seven+ is Kosher Certified, non-GMO, Gluten-Free and Vegan.

As a more economical option, I prefer the concentrated liquid botanical extract version that eXfuze makes because I am confident the quality can’t be beat – and hey, who doesn’t like their dollar stretched?

Retail customers can get a bottle of Seven+ Classic for $40 (although I personally use the PRO version for $45). Preferred customers only pay $37 for a bottle of Seven+ Classic (PRO is $42). At one concentrated 3/4 ounce dose per day, a bottle lasts a full month.

Or, get yours free when you Take the eXfuze Challenge and get four friends to join with you. I am using the Get Up & Go Pak and am loving it! Learn more here.

Learn more about Seven +: What is Seven+, Why Do I Need It, and How Do I Get Some?

What Does Science Say About Fucoidan?

The effects of fucoidan extracts on CCl(4)-induced liver injury.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the antioxidant properties of fucoidan extracts (FE) against CCl(4)-induced oxidative stress by monitoring the levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Female, Sparague-Dowley rats were administered with FE (100 mg/kg daily) for 14 days and CCl(4) on the 15′th day, 12 h before they were sacrificed. The levels of GOT, GPT, ALP and LDH in serum of rats, as well as the levels of MDA, SOD, CAT and GPx in total liver homogenate were analyzed. CCl(4)-treatment was found to increase the levels of GOT, GPT, ALP, LDH and MDA, as well as decrease levels of SOD, CAT and GPx significantly. The pre-treatment of rats with FE, however, suppressed the increment of levels of GOT, GPT, ALP, LDH and MDA, as well as recovered the levels of SOD, CAT and GPx in CCl(4)-treated rats. Moreover there was a significant decrease in incidences of necrosis and cirrhosis in the liver tissue of FE-treated rats. These results implied that FE possessed antioxidant properties against CCl(4)-induced oxidative stress.

Antioxidant activity of sulfated polysaccharide fractions extracted from Laminaria japonica.

Fucoidan, a group of sulfated heteropolysaccharide, was extracted from Laminaria japonica, an important economic alga species in China. Three sulfated polysaccharide fractions (F1, F2, and F3) were successfully isolated through anion-exchange column chromatography and had their antioxidant activities investigated employing various established in vitro systems, including superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, chelating ability, and reducing power. Chemical analysis suggested that F1 and F3 were heteropolysaccharide in which galactose was the major component, while F2 was a typical fucoidan. All fractions possessed considerable antioxidant activity, and F1, F2 and F3 had stronger antioxidant ability than fucoidan in certain tests. The correlation between the sulfate content and scavenging superoxide radical ability was positive. Available data obtained with in vitro models suggested that the ratio of sulfate content/fucose was an effective indicator to antioxidant activity of the samples.

A comparative study of the anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antiangiogenic, and antiadhesive activities of nine different fucoidans from brown seaweeds.

The anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, anticoagulant, and antiadhesive properties of fucoidans obtained from nine species of brown algae were studied in order to examine the influence of fucoidan origin and composition on their biological activities. All fucoidans inhibited leucocyte recruitment in an inflammation model in rats, and neither the content of fucose and sulfate nor other structural features of their polysaccharide backbones significantly affected the efficacy of fucoidans in this model. In vitro evaluation of P-selectin-mediated neutrophil adhesion to platelets under flow conditions revealed that only polysaccharides from Laminaria saccharina, L. digitata, Fucus evanescens, F. serratus, F. distichus, F. spiralis, and Ascophyllum nodosum could serve as P-selectin inhibitors. All fucoidans, except that from Cladosiphon okamuranus carrying substantial levels of 2-O-alpha-D-glucuronopyranosyl branches in the linear (1–>3)-linked poly-alpha-fucopyranoside chain, exhibited anticoagulant activity as measured by activated partial thromboplastin time whereas only fucoidans from L. saccharina, L. digitata, F. serratus, F. distichus, and F. evanescens displayed strong antithrombin activity in a platelet aggregation test. The last fucoidans potently inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) tubulogenesis in vitro and this property correlated with decreased levels of plasminogen-activator inhibitor-1 in HUVEC supernatants, suggesting a possible mechanism of fucoidan-induced inhibition of tubulogenesis. Finally, fucoidans from L. saccharina, L. digitata, F. serratus, F. distichus, and F. vesiculosus strongly blocked MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cell adhesion to platelets, an effect which might have critical implications in tumor metastasis. The data presented herein provide a new rationale for the development of potential drugs for thrombosis, inflammation, and tumor progression.

Antitumor activity and immunological properties of marine algal polysaccharides, especially fucoidan, prepared from Sargassum thunbergii of Phaeophyceae.

Marine algal polysaccharide, GIV-A from Sargassum thunbergii markedly inhibited the growth of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma at the dose of 20 mg/kg per day X10 with no sign of toxicity in mice. GIV-A is suggested to be a hexouronic acid containing L-fucan sulfate, fucoidan by the analyses of physicochemical properties and IR- and NMR-spectra. The results of carbon clearance activity with fucoidan demonstrated that it is acting as a so-called activator of the reticuloendothelial system. Fucoidan enhanced the phagocytosis and chemiluminescence of macrophages. By the immunofluorescent method, binding of the third component of complement (C3) cleavage product to macrophages and the proportion of C3 positive cells were increased. In crossed immunoelectrophoresis, human serum C3 was converted by fucoidan and appeared as the 3rd peak (converted C3). The height of the 3rd peak was directly proportional to the doses of fucoidan. The residual CH50 units of human serum decreased dose-dependently. These results suggest that the antitumor activity of fucoidan is related to the enhancement of immune responses. The present results indicate that fucoidan may open new perspectives in cancer chemotherapy.

Not enough science for you? Browse 1000+ more scientific studies on PubMed.