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Brown Seaweed can fight obesity

13/Sep/2006: With millions of people suffering from obesity worldwide, scientists in Japan have discovered a new compound that could breakdown fat in human body leading to weight loss.

Obesity is believed to cause cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes in humans. According to a new study, the pigment ‘Fucoxanthin’, found in brown seaweed, reduces abdominal fat and cholesterol through fat oxidation. This pigment is responsible for photosynthesis and gives brown seaweed its color.

This study was funded by the Japanese government and headed by Dr. Kazuo Miyashita, of Hokkaido University, Japan. The team involved in the study fed ‘Wakame’ (Undaria pinnatifida), edible brown Japanese kelp, to over 200 lab rats. They found that ‘Fucoxanthin’ induces expression of a protein called UCP1, which causes oxidation of fat and converts energy to heat. UCP1 usually accumulates in fat tissues around the internal organs.

Expression of UCP1 was found in rats fed with brown kelp and the animals experienced a 5-10% weight loss. Fucoxanthin also stimulates liver to produce Omega -3 fatty called Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), which can reduce bad-cholesterol in the body, reducing the risk of obesity and heart diseases.

Dr. Miyashita said that eating a lot of brown kelp, may not help in loosing weight, as one has to consume huge quantities of seaweed to absorb enough fucoxanthin to oxidize fat in their body. An effective process to extract fucoxanthin from brown kelp is yet to be developed and it is essential for drug development. It could take another 3 – 5 years for this drug to be available to the consumers.

Another study to find the effects of fucoxanthin on humans is being planned.

Kesavan Siva

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