Thyroid is responsible for regulating your metabolism, energy levels, appetite, kidneys and other bodily functions. However, due to genetic issues or diet, the thyroid gland is not able to produce enough thyroid hormones – this is called hypothyroidism. On the contrast, a hyperthyroidism is characterized by the overproduction of thyroxine, which often is a result of an immune system disorder called Graves’ disease. Common symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, rapid heartbeat, or sweating.
Fucoidan is extracted from seaweed which is high in iodine level. Even though fucoidan does not contain as much iodine as seaweed itself, there’s still a significant amount of iodine in fucoidan extract. For a lot of people, this iodine level is beneficial for the stimulation of thyroid while for others it can cause iodine overdose which may lead to many unpleasant symptoms, one of which is weight gain.
If you have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), you will benefit from taking fucoidan because fucoidan is packed with iodine and thereforeis helpful against goiter and will help improve your thyroid function. Taking a high quality Fucoidan supplement is also important if you expect to get the full benefits of immune boosting and thyroid function improvements. This is because ultimately 1mg of high quality iodine extracted from seaweed can have more of an effect than 10mg of one that is synthetically produced. A Fucoidan supplement such as this one will provide you with better results as this product contains bladderwrack or Fucus fucoidan which is frequently high in iodine content. While normal human iodine intake is about 100-200 mcg/day (or 0.1 – 0.2 mg/day) and not more than 1100mcg/day (or 1.1mg/day), such bladderwrack or fucoidan products may contain up to 600 mcg or 0.6 mg per gram of iodine per bottle, about 6 times more iodine than a 3 oz. cod fillet.
If you suffer from hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), consult your doctor before taking fucoidan supplement as it may cause iodine poisoning. Also, ask for the amount of iodine in any fucoidan supplement you want to purchase, and the suggested dosage for your health concerns. For many fucoidan supplements, the iodine amount in each bottle can be around 0.5 – 0.6mg but if you are to take only 4-6 capsules per day it would amount to approximately 0.015mg/day, much less than the maximum level allowed for an average person. If not sure, it is best to avoid taking fucoidan supplements if you have hyperthyroidism.
Example of a Fucoidan supplement and Mozuku seaweed.
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