Effects Of Fucus Vesiculosus

Fucus vesiculosis, also known as bladderwrack, is an iodine-rich, brown sea kelp. The edible seaweed is harvested from the Baltic Sea and other locations, and is often marketed for weight loss. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says its primary benefits are associated with its active ingredients, fucoidans and fucoxanthins, as well as its iodine content.

Hypothyroidism

According to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service, a division of NIH, hypothyroidism affects approximately 5 percent of the US population and can be caused by too little or too much iodine. Weight gain, a common symptom of hypothyroidism, can also be accompanied by fatigue, cold intolerance, constipation, dry, thinning hair, depression, high cholesterol and heavy or irregular menstrual irregularities. Fucus may positively affect cases of iodine-deficient hypothyroidism due to its iodine content.

Weight Loss

Although Fucus vesiculosis has not been studied in any large scale human trials, as noted by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center website, its primary supplement advertisement is assisting with weight loss. Weight gain has many possible causes. The causes can range from medical conditions such as hypothyroidism to a sedentary lifestyle or high-calorie diet. Fucus's iodine content may assist in stimulating a slowed thyroid, and thus increasing metabolism, or the burning of calories for energy. According to the June 2008 Townsend Letter article, "Fucose Complexes, Fucoxanthin, Fucoid, and Fat Storage," Japanese animal studies of the Fucus active ingredient, fucoxanthin, showed independent upregulation of the fat-burning proteins inherent to belly fat. Fucoxanthin also appeared to be helpful in balancing blood sugar and contributed to the management of insulin resistance and related problems.

Estrogen-dependent Cancer

A pilot study conducted by the Molecular Epidemiology and Toxicology Lab at University of California-Berkeley investigated this edible seaweed as an anti-estrogenic substance. According to the study, Japanese diets, which are high both in the consumption of soy and seaweed, are effective against estrogen-dependent cancers, such as some breast cancers, and ovarian and uterine cancer. Estrogen, a cholesterol-based hormone, has stimulatory effects on the growth of breast, endometrial and ovarian tissues in addition to initiating the menstrual cycle. Prolonged and increased amounts of estrogen can lead to cancerous overgrowth of these tissues. Bladderwrack lowers cholesterol and thereby lowers the amounts of estrogen available. Lower estrogen levels through the consumption of bladderwrack, lengthens the menstrual cycle thereby exerting cancer-protective effects on these tissues.