Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

When you consider weight loss options, algae probably doesn’t come to mind. In fact, most people in the Western world probably don’t think of algae as food at all, but recent studies have shown that alginate supplements can increase your feelings of satiety and potentially help you lose weight.

The latest in the growing list of investigations into alginate supplements and weight loss comes from researchers at the University of Copenhagen. To be published in the May 15, 2012, issue of Food Chemistry, this is purportedly the first study to examine what the exact ratio of different types of alginates produces the best results.

Alginate is a compound found in the cell walls of brown algae. The three alginates used in the study supplement form a gel that is slow to empty from the stomach. The effectiveness of alginate supplement is depends on the ratio of mannuronic and guluronic acids.

For the study, the researchers used two solutions with different ratios of mannuronic and guluronic acids; 70% mannuronic and 30% guluronic and 40% mannuronic and 60% guluronic.

Eight participants consumed one of the two beverages 30 minutes before breakfast and 2 hours before lunch. The researchers found that the drink that was 40% mannuronic and 60% guluronic produced increased feelings of satiety, lowered the amount that participants wanted to eat, and decreased calorie intake by 10% when compared with the other beverage.

The researchers hope that this study will encourage other institutions to examine the effects of alginate supplements as obesity becomes a worldwide epidemic.

Algae isn’t just good for weight management; research has also shown that it may be effective for a wide range of health benefits including improving blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, boosting immune system, alleviating joint pain, colon and liver health, and boosting the immune system.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers at Harvard have released a meta-analysis showing that omega-3 fatty-acids from algal oil – particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – may benefit heart health by improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

The study was published in the Journal of Nutrition on January 1, 2012.

Eleven randomized, controlled trials were included in the analysis. Participants in all of the trials had no history of coronary artery disease.

The researchers noted that individuals who consumed 1.7 grams a day of algal DHA had a 15% reduction in triglyceride levels, a 5% increase in HDL (or “good”) cholesterol levels and an 8% increase in LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol levels.

LDL is known commonly as bad cholesterol and any increase is usually considered detrimental. However, the researchers found that the particle size of the LDL cholesterol increased, which is good. That’s because small LDL particles are associated with atherogenic risk.

DHA is best known for its importance to fetal and infant brain and eye development. However, recent studies have also shown that it can help lower blood pressure, heart rate and platelet aggregration, as well as reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes.

Dietary sources of DHA include algae, fatty fish such as salmon and tuna and organ meats such as liver. A high quality supplement can also be a good source of DHA.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

A healthy diet and plenty of exercise are the best way to maintain a healthy weight but a little extra help is always welcome. A study from researchers at the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) at the University of Copenhagen suggests that dietary fibers from brown algae (alginates) may create a sense of satiety or fullness and promote weight loss.

The findings were published online ahead of print on July 21, 2011, in Obesity.

The three year study included 96 overweight men and women. For twelve weeks, half of the group consumed a drink with alginates before each meal every day and half the group consumed a placebo.

Throughout the course of the study, the researchers noted that the alginate group ate less than the placebo group and expressed that they were not as hungry. Eighty of the participants completed the study and the alginate group showed an average 4 lbs greater weight loss than the placebo group.

The researchers believe that the alginates form a gel inside the participants’ stomachs, taking up space that would otherwise be filled with food. The stomach then signals the brain that it is full, creating a sense of satiety and the individual stops eating.

Algae isn’t just good for weight management; research has also shown that it may be effective for a wide range of health benefits including improving blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, boosting immune system, alleviating joint pain, colon and liver health, and boosting the immune system.

As algae isn’t a common part of the western diet, your best bet for obtaining all of these benefits is to find a high quality supplement. Make sure your supplement is from a certified source to avoid impurities.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A plant derived form of calcium may help boost bone density according to a study published in the April 2011 issue of the Nutrition Journal. The study was conducted by researchers at the Texas-based Integrative Health Technologies (IHTI).

For the study, the researchers performed two separate trials with a total of 175 participants. The researcher put both groups in the same “bone health” plan that included supplementation, bone health education and increased physical activity.

One group received an AlgaeCal supplement, and the second group received the ‘revised’ AlgaeCal Plus and Strontium Boost supplement. Both supplements contained plant derived calcium as well as strontium, magnesium and other minerals known to play a role in bone health.

After a year the researchers saw a 2.18% increase in bone mineral density among the participants given the revised supplement compared to a 0.48% increase for the other group.

They noted that the highest increases in both groups were seen in participants who followed the dosage instructions.

Osteoporosis is a serious health issue characterized by low bone mass which leads to an increased risk of fractures. Women are 4 times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 70% of women over the age of 80 have osteoporosis.

Calcium has been shown to help with weight loss, skin health, and reducing the risk of ccolorectal cancer and stroke. Some studies have even suggested that calcium intake is associated with longevity.

Other ways to possibly improve bone mass and avoid osteoarthritis include taking a vitamin D supplement, calcium supplements and consuming more omega-3 fatty acids.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A new study published in the January 2010 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that dietary plant fibers called polysaccharides may boost the immune system.

For the study, researchers from St George’s University of London recruited 12 participants and monitored their immune system function by measuring plasma glycan profiles for a period of seven weeks.

After the 7 week period, the researchers gave the participants a supplement that contained polysaccharides from brown seaweed and aloe vera. The researchers steadily increased the dose of the supplement from 1.3 grams per day for weeks 1-4 to 5.2 grams per day for the final 7-8 weeks of supplementation.

The researchers found that the supplements significantly increased the participant’s immune response and that this increase was more substantial at higher doses.

These findings further the science directly connecting diet with health. While further research is still necessary, boosting the immune system may soon be added to the list of benefits associated with dietary plant fibers.

These benefits already include improving blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, alleviating joint pain, colon and liver health, and boosting the immune system. Some foods high in dietary plant fibers include dates, oatmeal, apples and broccoli.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

An extract made from brown seaweed may help regulate blood sugar levels by helping our body more effectively digest table sugar. These are the findings of a study conducted by an independent research center in Quebec.

For the study researchers gave obese and lean Zucker rats a daily dose of 7.5 mg/kg of InSea2, the brown seaweed extract, along with a dose of table sugar.

The researchers found a 38% and 51% reduction in blood glucose levels of the lean rats at 30 minutes and 60 minutes after the rats received the extract. They also saw a 25% reduction in peak glucose response among the obese rats given the extract.

A second study of InSea2 showed the extract’s ability to inhibit sucrase, with limited effect on maltase and no effect on lactase. Sucrase, maltase and lactase are digestive enzymes that assist the body in digesting sugar, grain and dairy products respectively.

According to the researchers, because InSea2 only effects digestion of table sugar, it tends to be tolerated well by users.

The researchers noted that table sugar is added or present in a great deal of the food we eat and finding ways to help your body control its absorption can lead to significant health benefits.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A study presented the week of March 22nd, 2010 at the American Chemical Society spring meeting in San Francisco may have found a new way to combat obesity.

Using an artificial gut, researchers found that fiber rich extracts from seaweed called alginates may reduce the uptake of fat by an amazing 75%.

Alginate is found in a variety of brown seaweeds and is similar to the cellulose found in plants.

According to the lead researcher of the study, Dr. Brownlee from Newcastle University, if alginate can be added to commonly eaten foods such as bread, yogurt and biscuits, it could result in nearly three quarters of the fat contained in meals to simply pass through the body.

This study is part of a three year project funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. The overall goal of the project is to shed further light on the link between alginate and fat intake.

Seaweed is surprisingly good for a wide range of health benefits beyond weight management. Previous studies have linked seaweed extracts to improving blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, boosting immune system, alleviating joint pain, colon and liver health, and boosting the immune system.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

If you are suffering from joint pain, you may want to consider taking a new extract made from brown seaweed, according to a study recently published in the February 2010 issue of Biologics: Targets & Therapy.

For the study, researchers with the Center for Health and Wellbeing in Australia recruited 12 individuals suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee with an average age of 62.

The participants were given 100 mg or 1000 mg of brown seaweed extract for 12 weeks.

The researchers measured symptoms of osteoarthritis using an internationally-validated test called COAT (Comprehensive Osteoarthritis Test.) They found that the higher dose of seaweed extract reduced osteoarthritis symptoms by over 50% and the lower dose reduced symptoms by 18%.

The researchers said their findings may mean that osteoarthritis sufferers will be able to reduce or replace their drug intake. They noted that further studies involving more participants are needed to confirm their findings.

Previous studies have already shown that brown seaweed extract may improve blood sugar, lower cholesterol, boost immune system, alleviating joint pain, help with colon and liver health, and boost the immune system.

Another natural joint health product that has gained recent attention is shea tree extract, which was shown to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis in a study published in the December 2009 issue of the journal Phytotherapy Research.

The joint health market is currently dominated by glucosamine, but results from recent studies have shown it may not be as effective as originally thought.