Pigment in Brown Seaweed Promotes Weight Loss

by Lashell Hoover | More from this Blogger

26 Feb 2007 11:55 PM

Chemists in Japan discovered that the pigment in brown seaweed promotes weight loss. Brown seaweed is used in Asian soups and salads. The pigment, fucoxanthin, gives the seaweed its color and conducts photosynthesis. The study was conducted by researchers at Hokkaido University in Hokkaido, Japan. The seaweed they used was wakame. Obese rodents where consuming the pigment as a dried powder which was extracted from the seaweed and added to their food. The rodents experienced a 5% to 10% weight loss. Fucoxanthin targeted belly fat and promoted production of DHA in the liver when it was mixed with soybean oil. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that reduces LDL. Unfortunately, one researcher commented that you can't eat enough brown seaweed to see significant weight loss.

LipoxanThin, also called Xanthigen, is a product which uses fucoxanthin extract. The clinical trial of this product lasted for sixteen weeks. When it was completed, 140 obese women had experienced significant fat reduction in the liver and loss of body fat. The process of extracting the pigment creates a product that is 500% higher in concentration than wild seaweed. The levels of fucoxanthin found in LipoxanThin are pharmaceutical grade. It contains omega-3 essential fatty acids, pomegranate seed oil extract, and other ingredients. Fucoxanthin promotes fat burning in white blood cells which build up in the liver and abdomen due to obesity. It isn't known to cause jitters, sleeplessness, or over-stimulation. In another clinical trial, 33 women with benign breast disease were given omega-3 oil and a high concentration of fucoxanthin. This combination reduced their breast pain. Further study showed that this pigment has even more beneficial qualities.

The product is patent-pending. Exclusive rights to Xanthigen, or LipoxanThin, are held by National Bioscience Corporation. Specialty Nutrition Group, Inc. was chosen to partner with NBC in commercialization of the product. I searched both names but couldn't find a purchasing source for it.

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Learn more about Lashell Hoover

Lashell Hoover lives in Maryland with her husband, three children, and beloved pets. A former SAHM, she is currently a full-time university student. She enjoys writing, reading, music, art, and life.

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Julie Gentry (5915) 26 Feb 2007 11:36 PM

Great! Would like to find out how to get some ;-)

Lashell Hoover (470) 28 Feb 2007 10:22 AM

Hi Julie, You may want to search Xanthigen. There will be a few hits for it. I think there were 4-6. The first study hadn't progressed to human trials. So, I had to dig to find a human study or product that used the seaweed pigment. Gee, I hope this helps:)