Seaweed Weight-loss Patches

In an era when the obesity rate is skyrocketing, there have been a great deal of quick weight loss plans, patches, supplements, and other products to hit the market that claim you can lose weight fast. Some have been verified by science; some have not. As of 2010, only one human study has been conducted on the effectiveness of seaweed on weight loss, so the jury is still out on seaweed patches.

The Facts

According to an article in the "Wall Street Journal," the patches typically work by applying one to the skin daily. As of 2010, various manufacturers make weight loss patches containing seaweed, and most range in price from $15 to $40 for a one-month supply.

Benefits

Brown seaweed contains a chemical compound called fucoxanthin, found in a 2006 Japanese study reported in "Science Daily" to reduce the accumulation of abdominal fat in animals. The compound stimulates a protein found in adipose tissue, abundant in the abdominal area, which causes fat to burn off.

As of 2010, only one human study has been completed on the effects of seaweed/fucoxanthin on weight loss. The Russian study, published in the January 2010 issue of the journal "Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism," found that fucoxanthin extract combined with pomegranate seed oil led to a significant reduction in body weight and waist circumference in humans.

Expert Insight

A 2010 "Wall Street Journal" article quoted the director of the Obesity Nutrition Research Center in New York as saying there is no evidence that the patches work. The CEO of one company that produces the patches -- Roduve Healthcare Solutions -- has said that they "likely" work by having a psychological effect, and are not a miracle cure. However, the company's CEO referenced clinical studies performed on various individual active ingredients found in seaweed that show a correlation between the substances and weight loss as a reason why the company's product is effective. The "Wall Street Journal" article also points out that the Federal Trade Commission is not investigating Roduve or the patches they produce.

The researchers who performed the 2010 Russian study on fucoxanthin and pomegranate seed oil concluded that the substance is a promising supplement in obesity management. This particular substance is currently not sold as a patch.

Considerations

According to the "Wall Street Journal," as of 2010, none of the seaweed patches on the market have been through rigorous clinical trials. However, the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (SRC), a scientist-owned group that studies natural therapies, has evaluated some individual ingredients found in some of the patches. Bladderwrack, a type of seaweed, was not conclusively linked to weight loss. One ingredient found in the Slim Weight Patch -- Garcinia cambogia -- was found in some clinical trials to help with weight loss, but other trials were inconclusive. The SRC also pointed out that while some substances found in the seaweed patches may help with weight loss, it is still unclear, due to a lack of human studies, whether a patch will even allow those substances to reach the bloodstream.

Warning

Many weight loss products and supplements are not monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because they contain mostly natural ingredients. Be wary of what you spend your money on. In 2005, the Federal Trade Commission banned and fined several foreign companies that were producing and selling seaweed-based weight loss patches in the United States after the companies made false claims about the effectiveness of the patches. The companies were Kingstown Associates, Ltd. and BVW Associates Inc., and the patches were Hydro-Gel Slim Patch and Slenderstrip.