Have you ever wished for a wonder supplement? Many researchers consider Seanol® extract to be as close as we’ve come. Why? Seanol is an antioxidant that’s about 100 times more powerful than other antioxidants. In fact, it’s one of the world’s top free-radical fighters, helping to rid your body of harmful free radicals that are at the root of aging.
More than a decade of research has resulted in dozens of studies supporting its powerful health-promoting benefits. Research has shown that Seanol helps to increase protective HDL cholesterol, decrease triglycerides as much as 18 mg/dl, support mental focus and acuity, and enhance joint flexibility.
What Is Seanol Seaweed Extract?
Seanol is a standardized extract of natural plant compounds, called phenols, from the edible Asian red-brown algae, Ecklonia cava. The plant grows deep in the waters of Japan and South Korea. Scientists carefully harvest it by hand then dry it naturally to protect its nutrient content. In fact, the name “Seanol” comes from the source of the compounds—the sea.
The Benefits of Seanol Antioxidants
When it comes to improving your circulation, Seanol antioxidants effectively combats peroxynitrites, a class of free radicals that are toxic to endothelial and smooth muscle arterial cells. This is important because the cells in the endothelial lining generate nitric oxide, which is what keeps your arteries open, relaxed, and healthy. Plus, it’s hypothesized that Seanol itself helps to regenerate nitric oxide.
To keep your mind alert, Seanol crosses the blood-brain barrier to protect your brain from harmful free radicals. But the benefits don’t stop there. Preliminary evidence also suggests Seanol stimulates the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, the chemical that allows you to remember and learn.
How Do Seanol Antioxidants Work in the Body?
To appreciate how Seanol benefits your health, it’s important to understand the role of antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that protect your cells from the effects of free radicals in pollution, chemicals in our foods, and sunlight. Even our bodies themselves produce harmful free radicals as a natural byproduct of our normal bodily functions.
The power of an antioxidant rests in its structure, which is made up of rings. Polyphenols use the rings to capture stray electrons from harmful free radicals and neutralize them. The more rings a polyphenol has, the better it works.
Most land-based antioxidants have three interconnected rings. Seanol is a far more powerful “trapping machine” for disarming harmful free radicals—with a whopping eight interconnected rings. That's why Seanol antioxidants beat the free-radical scavenging ability of most antioxidants by 10-100 times.
Seanol antioxidants also have other advantages over land-based antioxidants. Most antioxidants are water-soluble so they work outside your cells, giving you just some of the protection you need. Seanol antioxidants are 40% lipid (fat) soluble, so they able to work inside the cells as well.
Also due to Seanol antioxidants being fat-soluble, they stay in your body longer. The half-life of Seanol antioxidants compounds is up to 12 hours, compared with 30 minutes for water-soluble polyphenols.
What Scientific Studies Say About Seanol Extract
More than $35 million research dollars and almost 20 years of study support the use of Seanol seaweed extract. An extensive battery of scientific tests (in-vitro, in-vivo animal model tests, and human clinical studies) offers evidence of Seanol’s effectiveness.
For example, in one study, participants were given 600 mg of Seanol a day for eight weeks. At the end of the study, there was a significant drop in LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Plus, levels of protective HDL cholesterol increased significantly.
A double-blind trial showed that those taking 600 mg of Seanol daily for 12 weeks experienced a greater reduction in everyday aches and pains than those taking the placebo.
How to Make Seanol Work for You
Clearly, there’s a lot to like about Seanol and the red-brown seaweed Ecklonia cava from which it comes. So, eat this tasty vegetable as often as you can. You may also want to take a supplement with Seanol for the reasons I've described.
