Along with some other new discoveries, fucoxanthin is being thought as the next big supplement that could make weight loss extremely easy for many people.
Not only is this compound likely to change the way in which we think about weight loss, it is also extremely popular with people who have trouble exercising and burning fat.
What Is Fucoxanthin?
Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid found in chloroplasts of brown algae or seaweed like wakame and hijiki. These ingredients are used in a fair number of Asian cuisines like Miso soup.
A study conducted by Kazuo Miyashita, PhD. and his colleagues on obese rats showed the effects of fucoxanthin on rodents.
Fucoxanthin was added to the animal’s food and it was observed that it produced a protein that helps in increasing the metabolism. It was also observed that the amount of omega-3 increased in the liver when the rodents were fed fucoxanthin along with soybean oil. This study was presented to the American Chemical Society in San Francisco.
Further research is being done on fucoxanthin to establish the various health benefits of the compound, and it is expected that higher levels of omega-3 may also help in decreasing insulin levels which would help in the management of blood sugar levels in those who have diabetes. Fucoxanthin is also thought to have anti-cancer properties, though no studies have proved it yet.
Is Fucoxanthin Safe to Use?
Various studies have been conducted on rats and mice; there has no study been done yet to test the effects of fucoxanthin on humans.
Therefore, the possible side effects of the compound can only be guessed based on what is known.
One thing that emerges as significant is that a fair amount of fucoxanthin is required to achieve the kind of weight loss that was observed in mice.
Fucoxanthin is also known to be high in iodine and large quantities of fucoxanthin may cause iodine poisoning, something that can interfere in the normal functioning of the thyroid gland.
Other than this, there are no known side effects of fucoxanthin. Since the seaweed that contains fucoxanthin has been consumed in Asian cuisine regularly for over hundreds of years.
Fucoxanthin For Losing Weight
With regards to weight loss, it is believed that fucoxanthin regulates the UCP1 protein that controls the level of fat that is stored in the body. This protein also regulates a gene that helps in maintaining body temperature.
Due to these properties, fucoxanthin acts like a thermogenic substance that creates heat in the body so that the internal metabolic rate increases. In layman terms, the consumption of fucoxanthin increases the internal temperature of the body ensuring better and quicker fat burning.
Those who have benefited from fucoxanthin claim that it can help in losing about 10% of the body weight in a few weeks. Fucoxanthin does not affect the central nervous system, something that is fairly common with weight loss supplements that work as appetite suppressants.
With fucoxanthin, it is important to understand that there are really no studies on whether it is safe at the levels required to generate weight loss. It is safe to consume in small quantities, because it has been a staple of the Asian diet for thousands of years. However, eating small amounts of it in your food is very different from consuming it as a supplement, because the dosages are so much higher as a supplement.
Fucoxanthin may, indeed have potential as a weight loss supplement. However, due to the fact that it can cause iodine poisoning, it should be used only under a doctor’s supervision, and the dosage should be monitored. It may also be helpful in aiding those with diabetes, but again, not enough research has been done.
This is definitely a supplement to watch, as we learn more about it. The supplement can be purchased at most health food stores.