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What Are the Functions of Fucoidan?

Fucoidan is a polysaccharide found in several types of brown seaweed native to Japan. These include kombu, wakame, mozuku and hijiki. A polysaccharide is a carbohydrate that consists of multiple bonded sugar molecules.

  1. Function

    • Fucoidan is believed to perform a variety of functions related to health and well-being. There are many claims and accounts of its abilities both to treat and to prevent illness, but few conclusive studies.

    Cancer Treatment

    • One conclusive study was performed to test the anti-tumor properties of a particular type of fucoidan, called U-fucoidan. The Research Institute of Glycotechnology Advancement determined that U-fucoidan will successfully destroy a number of rapid-growing cancer cells.

    Other Uses

    • The legitimacy of fucoidan's other purported uses is not so well documented. Some of its possible uses include the treatment of allergies, bacterial infections, hypertension, inflammation and viral infections. It is also rumored to act as an anti-contraceptive.

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