Fucoidan is a complex polysaccharide composed largely of fucopyranoside and natural sulphate. About 4 percent of the total dry weight of many types of brown seaweed consists of a polysaccharide known as fucoidan. Fucoidan, sometimes known as fucans and fucoidans was first isolated from brown algae in 1913. Two different types of fucoidan molecules are found in brown seaweed. The first type, bearing the name F-Fucoidan, consists mainly of sulfated fucose. The second type bears the name U-Fucoidan, and approximately 20 percent of it consists of glucuronic acid.
Fucoidan Cancer Benefits
In vitro studies show that fucoidan has antitumor, antiangiogenic, antiviral and immunomodulatory effects. Seaweeds containing fucoidan have been found to have anti-tumor activity in mice and Japanese researchers at the Biomedical Research Laboratories have found that Fucoidan caused lymphoma, leukaemia, stomach and colorectal cancer cells to self-destruct. The Research Institute of Glycotechnology Advancement determined that U-fucoidan will successfully destroy a number of rapid-growing cancer cells.
Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide found in brown algae; it has been shown to exhibit a number of biological effects, including anti-tumor effects. A French research study in 2002 showed that F-fucoidan can inhibit hyperplasia in rabbits. A Japanese research report in 2005 indicated that F-fucoidan can induce apoptosis in human lymphoma cell lines.
In research in Japan, U-fucoidan administered to cancer cells in a laboratory dish were virtually wiped out within 72 hours. This process is known as apoptosis; the destruction of cells from within due to activation by the digestive enzymes contained in the cells themselves. For cells to self-destruct, this mechanism is triggered and the cell’s DNA is rendered useless through the activation of the deoxyribonuclease found within the cell itself. Another mechanism of antiproliferative properties of fucoidan was shown in vitro and in vivo on a cell line derived from a nonsmall-cell human bronchopulmonary carcinoma.
Fucoidan, a sulfated fucopolysaccharide, inhibits the adhesion process by blocking lectin-like adhesion molecules on cell surfaces and therefore interfering with tumor cell colonization. Fucoidan has been shown to inhibit metastasis by preventing adhesion of tumor cells to the extracellular matrix. This is achieved by blocking the fibronectin cell-binding domain, necessary for formation of adhesion complexes. At Mie University, in Tsu, Japan, researchers experimented with lung metastasis induced by Lewis lung carcinoma. By injecting fucoidan after the removal of the primary tumor, metastasis was inhibited.
Has been studied as fucoidan may support the gathering of stem cells so they are able to replace dead cells. Fucoidan gives your body the required nourishment to boost the natural production of adult stem cells in your bone marrow. The more adult stem cells you have circulating in your blood, the greater your body’s ability to heal and repair the injured tissues. Despite its ability to encourage cell regeneration, it doesn’t contribute to abnormal cell growth like tumors or cancers. Studies have begun to emerge indicating fucoidan might influence the mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells and their incorporation in ischemic tissue.
The most significant benefits of fucoidan pertain to its ability to strengthen the immune system. Some research suggests that it may cause an increase in the number of white blood cells, which are an integral part of the body’s natural immune system. Findings from other studies suggest that fucoidan supports the immune system by activating important immune responses, such as phagocytosis – a process by which phagocytes ‘swallow’ enemy cells or microbes. Another explanation for the immune-enhancing properties of fucoidan involve its ability to stimulate natural killer cells, which play an important part in the immune response by destroying cells infected with viruses. Natural killer cells are also vital to seeking out and destroying tumor cells and are a major defense against malignancies.
How to Use Fucoidan
Fucoidan Dosage : As a dietary supplement, take 2 capsules a day with a glass of water before or with breakfast. U-Fn has been found to be especially effective for combating cancers of the reproductive system, the blood, and the lower gastrointestinal tract when 4 to 6 capsules a day are taken for 3 to 4 months.
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