Fucoxanthin-induced thermogenesis support is non-stimulant in nature because it bypasses adrenergic (stimulatory or sympathetic) receptors at the surface of the cells that are also known to be UPC-1 inducing. Instead, it addresses the process of energy distribution at the level of mitochondria, precisely where conversion of fat into energy is taking place.
This mechanism has been demonstrated in brown adipose tissue of experimental animals supplemented with fucoxanthin. However, it was not until 2003 when a group of Japanese researchers demonstrated that the same UCP-1 induction and increase in thermogenesis could be induced in white adipose tissue where UCP-1 has not been previously described(4). Since white adipose tissue is the only fat tissue of a clinical significance in adults, this discovery ignited renewed interest in fucoxanthin from researchers throughout the world.
In 2006, two clinical trials were conducted by a research group led by Prof. Abidov of Russian Institute of Immunopathology in collaboration with the National Institute for Sport Performance, Moscow, Russia. The first pilot-type study dealt with establishing a therapeutic range based on changes in energy expenditure rate in human volunteers supplemented with various doses of fucoxanthin alone and in combination with CLNA (punicic acid from pomengranate seed oil). The second study was a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial where a total of 110 overweight patients underwent a 16-week supplementation with positive and statistically significant results. The full studies are expected to be published in 2008. Thus, these clinical trials are the first confirmation of the efficacy of orally supplemented fucoxanthin in humans in terms of weight management(6;7).
Further, the results of the aforementioned clinical trial revealed that fucoxanthin has particular affinity to visceral fat. Visceral fat is the type of fat covering organs of the abdominal cavity, specifically liver and omentum. Excessive visceral adiposity is now considered to be one of the major health risk factors among the Western population. At the same time, peripheral (subcutaneous) adiposity by itself is not deemed to be a significant metabolic risk factor, unless it’s associated with significant excess of visceral adipose tissue in the body(8). The ability of fucoxanthin to preferentially address the problem of visceral adiposity seems promising in terms of the weight and metabolism management, along with dietary and lifestyle changes.