Tier 2 — strong

Effects of fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus in reducing symptoms of osteoarthritis: a randomized placebo-controlled trial

Stephen P Myers, Ann M Mulder, Don G Baker, Shelley R Robinson, Margaret I Rolfe, Lyndon Brooks, J Helen Fitton
Biologics 2016 10:81-88

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 27307702
PubMed Central
PMC4887044
DOI
10.2147/BTT.S95165
Funding
Funding was provided by the Australian government and Marinova Pty Ltd. The study was sponsored by Marinova under contract to Southern Cross University and conducted by NatMed-Research.
Competing interests
J Helen Fitton was employed by Marinova Pty Ltd. The publication states she contributed to study design, interpretation and manuscript preparation but did not interact with participants or manage day-to-day trial conduct.

Study snapshot

DesignDouble-blind randomized placebo-controlled parallel trial
ModelAdults with mild-to-moderate hip or knee osteoarthritis
Sample122 randomized; 96 completed
InterventionFucus vesiculosus extract containing 85% fucoidan, 300 mg/day versus placebo
Duration12 weeks
EndpointsOsteoarthritis symptoms; Liver function; Renal function; Hematopoietic measures; Cholesterol; Adverse events

What the study showed, in plain terms

This is one of the most directly relevant older human fucoidan trials for the SIRT6Activator evidence map because it used Fucus vesiculosus, the same seaweed species central to the modern SIRT6-fucoidan program. At 300 mg/day for 12 weeks, the extract was well tolerated but did not reduce osteoarthritis symptoms significantly more than placebo.

Key findings

The Fucus vesiculosus extract was safe and well tolerated over 12 weeks.

The primary symptom outcome did not differ significantly from placebo.

Routine blood safety measures showed no clinically important changes.

What this study can and cannot tell us

The dose was far below the 2.4 g/day used in current SIRT6Activator clinical programs.

The trial addressed osteoarthritis, not SIRT6 activity, biological age or longevity.

Marinova sponsored the study and one author was a Marinova employee.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability