In this blog, I would like to discuss how fucoidan helps in reducing excess cholesterol.

As you might be aware your body needs cholesterol to make cell membranes, key hormones like testosterone and estrogen. The bile acid needs to digest and absorb fats, and vitamin D. Thus cholesterol is very important to the body that the liver and intestines make from scratch. However, excess cholesterol in the body creates negative impacts on the body such as heart attack and stroke.

Cholesterol is carried through the blood from your heart to the rest of the body, but high cholesterol level will store the extra cholesterol in the arteries and buildup of cholesterol in the arteries which are known as plaque. The plaque will become hard and block the arteries. Also, there is risk of cholesterol plaque being split open, leading to blood clots as well.

Cholesterol has two main types, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein). LDL cholesterol will build upon the wall of arteries and increase plaque. Hence, it is called “bad cholesterol. However, on the other hand HDL will scavenge LDL in the blood vessels called “good cholesterol”.

So, right now, if you are concerned about how to protect your body from cardiovascular disease or stroke. In addition to that, you want to know how to reduce LDL level and to increase the HDL level. I can tell you that there is some solution if you are using fucoidan.

Based on the research by Jinhee Park et al., fucoidan treatment two hours after acute hyperlipidemia mice significant reduced serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol level, but increase the levels of HDL cholesterol.

As fucoidan is a dietary fiber, it absorbs cholesterol and the fat that forms the basis of acyl glycerol and is excreted as feces — thus suppressing fat absorption from the intestine. Also, bile acids are made in the liver by using cholesterol as a material. However, bile acids combine with lipids in the intestine to promote absorption from the intestine. Normally the bile acid that has finished its role is absorbed from the intestinal wall and back to the liver again, but fucoidan will combine with this bile acid and excreted as feces. So, in order to recoup lost bile acid, the liver will use cholesterol in the blood to make up bile acids. Thus cholesterol in the blood will be lowered.

Of course, you must never depend on fucoidan alone. Also, I believe you must change your lifestyle. For instance, eat healthy diets such as colorful vegetable and fruits, increase physical activity like walking and bicycling, avoid smoking and drink alcohol moderately.

I am positive if you continue on the better lifestyle just like I mentioned in this blog, you will spend a healthy life and live longer.