:Kelp:
Fucus vesiculosus

:Broad-Spectrum Nutrition:

Kelp, known scientifically as Fucus vesiculosus, is a sea vegetable rich in iodine, chromium and almost 30 other minerals. This includes biologically active trace minerals such as boron, lithium, vanadium, bromine and bismuth, as well as physiologically important minerals like calcium, sulphur, silicon, phosphorus, iron, potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc, manganese and all those considered vital to health. Kelp also supplies vitamins, A, B complex including lecithin, C, G, K and S. Vitamin S is the anti-sterility vitamin. Kelp also contains a number of active biological compounds including fucosterol, fucoidin, alginic acid, mannitol, laminarin, bromine mannite, volatile oils, phenolics, catechins (bioflavonoids) and amino acids.

The source of Kelp is critical, as supplementation with Kelp from polluted waters has been found to be a potential source of mercury toxicity. Starfire’s Pacific Kelp is from clean water and is specifically assayed to rule out heavy metal contamination.

Intestinal Cleansing & Balancing

Kelp supplies mineral alginates which absorb water, but do not swell up in an acid environment. Instead, they buffer and neutralize acids, while also stopping any bleeding, making them a favored treatment for ulcer. They are also beneficial as a bulk for enhancing elimination and regularity.

Detoxifying Radioactivity

Sodium alginate, found in kelp, has been shown to reduce strontium absorption and reduce the body’s retention of other radioactive elements. It removes minerals in the following order, from most strongly removed, to less strongly: Barium (Ba), Strontium (Sr), Tin (Sn), Cadmium (Cd), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), and Mercury (Hg). For example, Barium was reduced to just 3% in 3 weeks, while Cadmium dropped 50% over that time period. Sodium alginate and alginic acid also reduce blood and liver cholesterol levels.

Anti-Microbial Effects

Kelp has anti-microbial properties. It shows activity against both gram positive and gram negative pathogens including Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Brucella, Klebsiella, Proteus, E. coli and Salmonella as well as fungal species. This is thought to be due to the presence of a brominated phenolic compound.

Immune Enhancement

Iodine deficiency has been linked to decreased anti-microbial activity of immune cells known as polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Cancer Prevention

Kelp may help promote a long, healthy life. The Japanese live longer than any other nation on earth and they also eat alot of kelp. Japanese studies show a direct link between kelp intake and prevention of certain health problems including breast cancer. Kelp is extremely rich in a beneficial fiber called algin. Kelp extract has proven up to a 95% rate of success at inhibiting different types of cancer cells. Kelp has also been shown to enhance immune function. This may be due to T-cell stimulation by alginate or other colloidal polysaccharides such as fucoidin and laminarin. Iodine intake is also related to decreased risk of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers.

Reversal of Precancerous Conditions

Women with low iodine intake frequently experience symptoms related to severe hyperplasia and fibrocystic disease of the breast. These precancerous lesions have been reversed with iodine in clinical trials. Animal studies confirm that iodine deficiency causes fibrocystic breast disease especially in older individuals or in those exposed to estrogen. Perhaps the estrogen-like effects of pesticides and other chemicals can interact with iodine deficiency as well.

Kelp also has powerful cleansing and thyroid stimulating properties. It has been used traditionally for weight loss due to its ability to speed up the metabolism in addition to its bulking properties. Interestingly, studies have found that kelp provides additional thyroid activation even beyond its organic iodine content. Kelp has also been widely used for pre-natal supplementation as well as balancing of glands and regulation of blood sugar. Kelp is said to be important to sustain the nervous system. It is suggested to support tissue detoxification and even to help grow healthy hair and nails.

Weight Loss

Obesity is when weight is over 20% above normal. The UK Medicines Control Agency recognizes Kelp as a suitable, orally administered active ingredient for herbal medicine, with a clinical medicinal claim in the treatment of obesity.

Iodine deficiency is known to be associated with fatigue and weight gain, as well as a condition known as cretinism. Kelp, an excellent source of organic iodine, has been used for many years in weight loss programs. It is listed in medical literature dating back at least to Courtois in 1812.
A study performed by the Center for Clinical Dietetics at the Civil Hospital in Trescoro, Italy found that obese patients on a 1200 calorie diet who were given Kelp for a period of 2 months, lost 31% of their excess body weight, compared to only 14% in the control group on the same diet without the addition of kelp. Total weight loss averaged about 20 pounds for the kelp group (2.28 pounds per week) and about 10 pounds (1.11 pounds per week) for the diet only group.

Uses in Herbal Medicine

Kelp is considered to have alterative, thyroid stimulant, glandular balance, weight loss, hepatic, cathartic, stomachic and fluid regulator properties in herbal medicine. Here are some of the traditional herbal indications for taking Kelp. Kelp is said to help:

• Adrenals
• Arteries
• Asthma
• Atherosclerosis
• Bacterial problems
• Breast Cancer
• Colitis
• Complexion
• Constipation
• Diabetes
• Digestion
• Eczema
• Fingernails
• Fungal problems
• Gallbladder
• Gas
• Goiter
• Headache
• High blood pressure
• Kidneys
• Morning sickness
• Nervous disorder
• Neuritis
• Obesity
• Pancreas
• Pituitary
• Prostate
• Skin
• Thyroid
• Uterus
• Vitality
• Water retention
• Wrinkles

Energetic Effects

Kelp is described as salty, cool and moist with qualities of nourishing, restoring, decongesting, softening and dissolving. The energetics of Kelp affect the Liver, Kidney, Bladder and Stomach meridians and on an organ level, it influences the blood, fluids, stomach, intestines, liver, kidney and bladder.

How Much to Take

A reasonable dietary intake level for iodine should be at least 150 mcg per day. United States Guidelines imply that approximately 1,000 mcg/day of iodine obtained via normal dietary sources, such as kelp and other seafood, is perfectly safe. This would correspond to about 4 tablets a day of Kelp. While Kelp has been shown to be non-toxic, you should avoid taking Kelp and other supplemental iodine sources if you have Grave’s disease or Hyperthyroidism. It is also suggested to avoid taking extra iodine if experiencing acne, as symptoms may increase.

Footnotes (see print version for location in text):

Spoerke DG. Herbal Medications, Woodbridge Press Publ. Co., Santa Barbara, California, 1980, p. 39, 103.
Leung AY. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York, 1980. p. 17.
Biard JF, et al. Algues fixees de la cote atlantique francaise contenant des substance antibacteriennes et antifungiques, Planta Medica Supplement 136-51, 1980.
Chandra RK. Nutrition and immunity - Basic considerations. Part 1. Contemp. Nutr. 11(11), 1986.
Chenieuc JC, et al. Algues fixees de la cote atlantique francaise contenant des substances antimitotiques, Planta Medica Supplement 152-162, 1980.
Eskin BA. Biol. Trace Element Res. 5:399-412, 1983.
Stadel VV. Dietary iodine and the risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. Lancet, April 24, 1976, pp. 890-1.
Krouse TB, et al. Age-related changes resembling fibrocystic disease in iodine-blocked rat breasts. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 103:631-4, 1979.
Eskin BA. Mammary gland dysplasia in iodine deficiency. JAMA 200:115-119, 1967.
Werbach MR. Nutritional Influences on Illness, A Sourcebook of Clinical Research. Third Line Press, Tarzana, California, 1988, p. 490.
Heinerman J. The Science of Herbal Medicine, BiWorld Publ., Orem, Utah, 1979, p. 152.
Felter HW and Lloyd JU. King’s American Dispensatory (Vol. 1), (18th ed., 3rd Rev.), 1898 (Repr. 1983), Eclectic Med. Publ., Portland, Oregon, p. 902.
Willard T. The Wild Rose Scientific Herbal, Wild Rose College of Natural Healing, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1991, p. 38, p. 193-195.
Tenney L. Today’s Herbal Health, Woodland Books, Provo, Utah, 1982, p. 81-82.
Holmes P. The Energetics of Western Herbs (2 vols.), Artemis Press, Boulder, Colorado, 1989, p. 366-368.
Tierra M. Planetary Herbology, Lotus Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1988, p. 376.
Spoerke DG. Herbal Medications, Woodbridge Press Publ. Co., Santa Barbara, California, 1980, p. 39, 103.
Leung AY. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York, 1980. p. 18.