Fucoidan and insulin resistance
Insulin plays a critical role in regulating glucose levels in the bloodstream. Improving insulin resistance is an important factor in regulating type 2 diabetes, a chronic health condition in which the body does not utilise insulin effectively.
A recent Korean in vitro study explored the potential of high purity Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan, produced by Marinova, to improve insulin resistance by stimulating glucose uptake.
The key finding of the study was that fucoidan significantly increased glucose uptake in a dose dependent manner in TNFα-induced insulin resistant 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Fucoidan inhibited multiple negative regulators of insulin signalling. Researchers concluded the results suggest the potential of Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan to improve inflammatory conditions and insulin resistance in adipocytes.
The paper, ‘Fucoidan Ameliorates TNFα-induced Insulin Resistance by Inhibiting SOCS3, JNK Activation and IκBα Degradation in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes’ was published in the Korean Journal of Life Science.