Seaweed and Weight Loss

Scientists from Hokkaido University have isolated a pigment in brown kelp called fucoxanthin that has proved effective in stimulating weight loss in rats.

The rats lost up to 10% of their body weight during the trial - mostly from around the abdomen.

The findings have been presented to the American Chemical Society in San Fransisco and the researchers are hopeful that fucoxanthin can be developed into a drug or weight loss supplement to aid weight loss.

So is this a significant breakthrough or just another premature research finding?

Seaweed and Weight Loss - How Does it Work...?

Fucoxanthin is found in high levels in types of brown seaweed, but is absent from red and green seaweeds.

All are common in the Japanese diet and brown seaweed is an ingredient in miso soup.

Now drinking lots of miso soup won't have the desired effect according to the researchers, as fucoxanthin is not easily absorbed by the body in its natural state as it's bound tightly to the seaweed's protein molecules.

However, they isolated it, gave it to 200 rats and mice and then studied the effects.

The researchers concluded that in obese rats and mice, fucoxanthin stimulated the production of a protein called UCP1, which appears to stimulate fat metabolism and breaks down body fat.

They also found that fucoxanthin caused the liver to produce docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a fatty acid that is one of the active ingredients in omega-3 fatty acids.

As well as helping to reduce levels of LDLs - 'bad' cholesterol - DHA is also thought to be partly responsible for the link between omega 3 and weight loss.

UCP1 is found in white adipose tissue, the fat found in the abdomen that when deposited is responsible for an expanding midriff - the most dangerous place to put on weight given the links between waist size and heart disease.

From a health perspective, not only may fucoxanthin aid with weight loss, it might also reduce the risk of heart disease and other obesity related diseases like diabetes.

The researchers reported no side effects in the rats and mice studied.

Seaweed and Weight Loss - Does it Work...?

The researchers were also clear that a further three to five years research was needed to investigate the weight loss benefits in people before any supplements or drugs could be developed, trialled and marketed.

It's a long way from becoming the next anti-obesity pill!

Whatsmore, the weight loss of up to 10% produced in the test rats is similar to existing weight loss drugs like sibutramine (Meridia, Reductil), orlistat (Xenical) and rimonobant (Acomplia).

Whilst the link between seaweed and weight loss is far from certain, expect to see loads of supplements containing this latest 'wonder weight loss ingredient' to hit the shelves!

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