Fucoidan Relieves Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a common problem for people living in cool, heavily wooded, areas. Spread by deer ticks infected with a bacteria called B. burgdorferi, the infection can be identified by an onset of flu-like symptoms accompanied by a bulls-eye rash. If the infection goes untreated for a long period of time, it can result in more serious side effects like arthritis, nerve damage, and heart disease. Though Lyme disease is only curable with antibiotics, those who went undiagnosed for long periods of time are likely to continue experiencing these more serious symptoms. A great, completely safe and side-effect free treatment for these symptoms is fucoidan. Fucoidan relieves symptoms of Lyme Disease through its ability to reduce inflammation and the neuroprotective effects fucoidan demonstrates.
The Results:
Studies have shown that fucoidan has the ability to reduce inflammation, which in turn reduces the pain caused by arthritis. In one specific instance, fucoidan helped to reduce the severity of arthritis by working to reduce the Th1-dependant collagen levels. Another study focused on fucoidan as an anti-inflammatory, and found that it had the ability to prevent and relieve inflammatory diseases by regulating signals responsible for inflammation.
Damage to the nervous system caused by Lyme disease can surface several weeks after an untreated infection. This damage can result in a rigid neck and intense headaches, short-term paralysis of the facial muscles, numbness, discomfort and weakness in the limbs, and poor coordination. These symptoms generally last for several weeks or months and, in some cases, can recur. One study, examining the ability of fucoidan to aid in the regeneration of damaged neural cells, found that the polysaccharide worked to support the activity of a vital cell in the regeneration of nerves. In another study, fucoidan’s ability to protect neurons from damage was illustrated through its neuroprotective effects.
Based on these findings, it is safe to assume that fucoidan would have the same heart-protective effects as it does on the joints and nervous system. Though no studies exist to support this theory, fucoidan exhibits strong support and protection for all cells of the body.
From the Experts:
“…we suggest that LMWF might have great potential as an external pathogen prevention and intervention agent for inflammatory diseases.” [1]
“…LMWF reduced the severity of arthritis and the levels of Th1-dependent collagen-specific IgG(2a).” [2]
“Fucoidan significantly improved the behavioral manifestation, prevented the loss of dopaminergic neurons and inhibited the deleterious activation of microglia in the substantia nigra pars compacta of LPS-treated rats.” [3]
“Laminarin and fucoidan, two main components of EPS extract from the brown seaweed, were concluded to increase or decrease astrocyte activity with respect to their concentration. When the concentration was under 10 μg/ml, the astrocytes tended to increase their viability.” [4]
Research:
[1]
Park SB, Chun KR, Kim JK, Suk K, Jung YM, Lee WH.The differential effect of high and low molecular weight Fucoidans on the severity of collagen-induced arthritis in mice. (2010, September). Read More
[2]
Kim KJ, Yoon KY, Lee BY. Low molecular weight Fucoidan from the sporophyll of undaria pinnatifida suppresses inflammation by promoting the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases and oxidative stress in raw264.7 cells. (2012, September 21). Read More
[3]
Cui YQ, Jia YJ, Zhang T, Zhang QB, Wang XM. Fucoidan protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced rat neuronal damage and inhibits the production of proinflammatory mediators in primary microglia. (2012, October 18) Read More
[4]
Jung SM, Kim SH, Min SK, Shin HS. Controlled activity of mouse astrocytes on electrospun PCL nanofiber containing polysaccharides from brown seaweed. (December 2012) Read More