Fucoidan - High content for solid health support

Trivia about Fucoidan

What Is Fucoidan?

Fucoidan was first discovered and reported in 1913 by Professor Kylin of Uppsala University in Sweden, approximately 90 years ago. At that time, it was initially named “fucoidin,” but was later renamed “fucoidan” in accordance with international carbohydrate nomenclature rules.

Many scientific studies have been conducted on the physicochemical properties of fucoidan. It has long been known that fucoidan is a sulfated cell wall polysaccharide and that fucose is its main component. However, while various research findings have been reported regarding other characteristics, a fully unified definition was not always established in the past. Today, fucoidan is generally defined as a polysaccharide composed primarily of fucose, with sulfate groups and uronic acids bound to its structure.

The term “fucoidan,” as commonly used, does not refer to a single substance with an identical chemical structure, but rather serves as a collective name for polysaccharides whose main constituent sugar is fucose.

In addition to fucose, fucoidan may also contain other sugars such as galactose, mannose, xylose, and uronic acids.

Seaweeds contain a wide variety of chemical components, one of which is carbohydrates. Of course, seaweeds also contain proteins, lipids, minerals, and other nutrients, and the types and amounts of these components vary depending on the species of seaweed.

Different Even Among Brown Seaweeds

Fucoidan has been extracted from many species of brown seaweeds and studied through various research experiments.
Globally, there are approximately 240 genera of brown seaweeds, and even within the same species, chemical composition can vary significantly depending on factors such as the harvesting location, season, and water depth. In addition, different parts of the same seaweed can contain markedly different chemical components.
The fucoidan content also varies by seaweed species. Furthermore, it is known that seaweeds growing in environments where they are exposed to dry conditions for longer periods tend to contain higher amounts of fucoidan.
For example, mozuku, which grows in shallower waters, has been found to contain a higher fucoidan content than kombu, which typically grows in deeper waters.

Safety of Fucoidan

Fucoidan has attracted attention for its potential functions across a wide range of fields; however, without assured safety, such functions would be meaningless. Reports on the safety of alginic acid, which is also derived from seaweeds, show that it has been recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) substance, and this designation is also applied in Japan.

In addition, safety evaluations of carrageenan were conducted in 1969 and 1973. Based on subsequent data, its safety was confirmed, and in 1984 the acceptable daily intake was revised from 0–70 mg per kilogram of body weight to “no specification required,” reflecting its high level of safety.