Bindoff, N. L.; Cheung, W. W. L.; Kairo, J. G.; Arístegui, J.; etal. (2019). "Chapter 5: Changing Ocean, Marine Ecosystems, and Dependent Communities" (PDF). IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. pp.447–587. Interestingly, seaweed has become a research focus for new ways to support people who are at risk of diabetes ( 50). Your thyroid gland releases hormones to help control growth, energy production, reproduction and the repair of damaged cells in your body ( 1, 2). However, the daily average intake of iodine in Japan is estimated to be 1,000–3,000 mcg (667–2,000% of the RDI). This poses a risk to those who consume seaweed every day, as 1,100 mcg of iodine is the tolerable upper limit (TUL) for adults ( 7, 6). Nowadays a number of vectors - e.g., transport on ship hulls, exchanges among shellfish farmers, global warming, opening of trans-oceanic canals - all combine to enhance the transfer of exotic seaweeds to new environments. Since the piercing of the Suez Canal,the situation is particularly acute in the Mediterranean Sea, a 'marine biodiversity hotspot' that now registers over 120 newly introduced seaweed species -the largest number in the world. [18] Production [ edit ]

Wang, Taiping; Yang, Zhaoqing; Davis, Jonathan; Edmundson, Scott J. (2022-05-01). Quantifying Nitrogen Bioextraction by Seaweed Farms – A Real-time Modeling-Monitoring Case Study in Hood Canal, WA (Technical report). Office of Scientific and Technical Information. doi: 10.2172/1874372. Nevertheless, seaweed contains a wide variety of plant compounds that work together to have strong antioxidant effects ( 26). SummaryWhile a few case reports have associated iodine-containing kelp consumption and thyroid dysfunction, thyroid function returned to regular once consumption stopped ( 58, 59). Natural seaweed ecosystems are sometimes under threat from human activity. For example, mechanical dredging of kelp destroys the resource and dependent fisheries. Other forces also threaten some seaweed ecosystems; a wasting disease in predators of purple urchins has led to an urchin population surge which destroyed large kelp forest regions off the coast of California. [4]

Endocrine Journal: “Suppression of Thyroid Function During Ingestion of Seaweed “Kombu” ( Laminaria japonoca) in Normal Japanese Adults.” Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of Rhodophyta (red), Phaeophyta (brown) and Chlorophyta (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as kelps provide essential nursery habitat for fisheries and other marine species and thus protect food sources; other species, such as planktonic algae, play a vital role in capturing carbon, producing at least 50% of Earth's oxygen. [3] Briand, Frederic, ed. (2015). CIESM Atlas of Exotic Species in the Mediterranean. Volume 4. Macrophytes. CIESM, Paris, Monaco. p.364. ISBN 9789299000342. In addition to containing the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E, seaweed boasts a wide variety of beneficial plant compounds, including flavonoids and carotenoids. These have been shown to protect your body’s cells from free radical damage ( 22, 23).

Keep up with the Seaweeders

Japanese people’s high seaweed intake might be one reason why they have the highest life expectancy in the world ( 57). The results showed that fucoxanthin increased the expression of a protein that metabolizes fat in rats ( 36).

If possible, buy organic seaweed, as it’s less likely to contain significant amounts of heavy metals ( 62). Summary Ask, E.I (1990). Cottonii and Spinosum Cultivation Handbook. Philippines: FMC BioPolymer Corporation. p.52. Your thyroid plays a crucial role in your overall health, and iodine plays a vital role in its ability to function properly. Insufficient iodine means that your thyroid can’t make enough thyroid hormone (a condition known as hypothyroidism), which regulates many bodily functions, including metabolism. If you don’t get enough iodine, you may develop a goiter, a visible enlargement of your thyroid. Iodine deficiency can also impact children during development, both in the womb and during early childhood.

It can make up about 25–75% of seaweed’s dry weight. This is higher than the fiber content of most fruits and vegetables ( 31, 32). How much oxygen comes from the ocean?". National Ocean Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved 23 November 2021. An 8-week study of 60 Japanese people revealed that fucoxanthin, a substance in brown seaweed, may help improve blood sugar control ( 51).

Alginates are used in industrial products such as paper coatings, adhesives, dyes, gels, explosives and in processes such as paper sizing, textile printing, hydro-mulching and drilling. Seaweed is an ingredient in toothpaste, cosmetics and paints. Seaweed is used for the production of bio yarn (a textile). [49] Brown seaweed contains fucoxanthin, an antioxidant that gives the vegetable its color. The antioxidant may play a role in helping to improve blood sugar control and reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Seaweed Power: Ireland Taps New Energy Source". alotofyada.blogspot.co.uk. 2008-06-24 . Retrieved 9 April 2018. Other animal studies found similar results. For example, fucoxanthin has been shown to significantly reduce blood sugar levels in rats, further aiding weight loss ( 37, 38). Journal of Nutritional Science: “Reduction of HbA1c Levels by Fucoxanthin-Enriched Akamoku Oil Possibly Involves the Thrifty Allele of Uncoupling Protein 1 (UCP1): A Randomized Controlled Trial in Normal-Weight and Obese Japanese Adults.” Current Medicinal Chemistry: “Phenolic Compounds from Edible Algae: Bioactivity and Health Benefits.”

One 8-week study fed rats with high cholesterol a high fat diet supplemented with 10% freeze-dried seaweed. It found the rats had 40% lower total cholesterol, 36% lower LDL cholesterol, and 31% lower triglyceride levels ( 43). Humans have a long history of cultivating seaweeds for their uses. In recent years, seaweed farming has become a global agricultural practice, providing food, source material for various chemical uses (such as carrageenan), cattle feeds and fertilizers. Because of their importance in marine ecologies and for absorbing carbon dioxide, recent attention has been on cultivating seaweeds as a potential climate change mitigation strategy for biosequestration of carbon dioxide, alongside other benefits like nutrient pollution reduction, increased habitat for coastal aquatic species, and reducing local ocean acidification. [5] The IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate recommends "further research attention" as a mitigation tactic. [6] Taxonomy [ edit ] International Journal of Biological Macromolecules: “Digestibility of Sulfated Polysaccharide from the Brown Seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum and Its Effect on the Human Gut Microbiota In Vitro.” a b "Escharotic stomatitis caused by the "stinging seaweed" Microcoleus lyngbyaceus (formerly Lyngbya majuscula): case report and literature review".