Nutritional Supplement

Bladderwrack

How to Use It

For short-term use (a few days) to relieve constipation, powdered bladderwrack can be taken in the amount of 1 teaspoon three times per day along with at least 8 oz of water each time.25 For thyroid problems, gastritis, or heartburn, 5 to 10 grams of dried bladderwrack in capsules three times per day has been recommended. Alternately, bladderwrack may be eaten whole or made into a tea using 1 teaspoon per cup of hot water, allowing each cup to sit at least 10 minutes before drinking. Three cups per day of tea can be drunk. No more than 150 mcg iodine should be consumed from all sources, including bladderwrack, per day.26 However, most bladderwrack products do not give any indication of their iodine content. Therefore, anyone considering taking bladderwrack should first consult a physician trained in nutrition and herbal medicine.

References

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2. Chevrel B. A comparative crossover study on the treatment of heartburn and epigastric pain: Liquid Gaviscon and a magnesium-aluminum antacid gel. J Int Med Res 1980;8:300-3.

3. Barnett SA, Varley SJ. The effects of calcium alginate on wound healing. Ann R Coll Surgeons Engl 1987;69:153-5.

4. Béress A, Wassermann O, Bruhn T, et al. A new procedure for the isolation of anti-HIV compounds (polysaccharides and polyphenols) from the marine alga Fucus vesiculosus. J Nat Prod 1993;56:478-88.

5. Vázquez-Freire MJ, Lamela M, Calleja JM. Hypolipidaemic activity of a polysaccharide extract from Fucus vesiculosus L. Phytother Res 1996;10:647-50.

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7. Vázquez-Freire MJ, Lamela M, Calleja JM. A preliminary study of hypoglycaemic activity of several polysaccharide extracts from brown algae: Fucus vesiculosus, Saccorhiza polyschides and Laminaria ochroleuca. Phytother Res 1996;10(suppl):S184-5.

8. Bartlett MR, Warren HS, Cowden WB, Parish DR. Effects of the anti-inflammatory compounds castanospermine, mannose-6-phosphate and fucoidan on allograft rejection and elicited peritoneal exudates. Immunol Cell Biol 1994;72:367-74.

9. Church FC, Mead JB, Treanor RE, Whinna HC. Antithrombin activity of fucoidan. The interaction of fucoidan with heparin cofactor II, antithrombin III and thrombin. J Biol Chem 1989;264:3618-23.

10. Criado MT, Ferreirós CM. Toxicity of an algal mucopolysaacharide for Escherichia coli and Neisseria meningitidis strains. Rev Esp Fisiol 1984;40:227-30.

11. Moen LK, Clark GF. A novel reverse transcriptase inhibitor from Fucus vesiculosus. Int Conf AIDS 1993;9(1):145, abstr. #PO-A03-0061.

12. Lederman S, Gulick R, Chess L. Dextran sulfate and heparin interact with CD4 molecules to inhibit the binding of coat protein (gp120) of HIV. J Immunol 1989;143:1149-54.

13. Golan R. Optimal Wellness. New York: Ballantine Books, 1995, 373-4.

14. Chevrel B. A comparative crossover study on the treatment of heartburn and epigastric pain: Liquid Gaviscon and a magnesium-aluminum antacid gel. J Int Med Res 1980;8:300-3.

15. Kocharatana P, et al. Clinical trial of maeng-lak seeds used as a bulk laxative. Maharaj Nakornratchasima Hosp Med Bull 1985;9:120-36.

16. Muangman V, Siripraiwan S, Ratanaolarn K, et al. A clinical trial of Ocimum canum Sims seeds as a bulk laxative in elderly post-operative patients. Ramathibodi Med J 1985;8:154-8.

17. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al, eds. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 167.

18. Eherer AH, Porter J, Fordtran JS. Effect of psyllium, calcium polycarbophil, and wheat bran on secretory diarrhea induced by phenolphthalein. Gastroenterol 1993;104:1007-12.

19. Barnett SA, Varley SJ. The effects of calcium alginate on wound healing. Ann R Coll Surgeons Engl 1987;69:153-5.

20. Barnett SA, Varley SJ. The effects of calcium alginate on wound healing. Ann R Coll Surgeons Engl 1987;69:153-5.

21. Norman JA, Pickford CJ, Sanders TW, et al. Human intake of arsenic and iodine from seaweed based food supplements and health foods available in the UK. Food Addit Contam 1987;5:103-9.

22. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 1996:124-6.

23. Mills SY. Out of the Earth: The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine. Middlesex, UK: Viking Arkana, 1991:514-6.

24. Björvell H, Rössner S. Long-term effects of commonly available weight reducing programmes in Sweden. Int J Obes 1986;11:67-71.

25. Mills SY. Out of the Earth: The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine. Middlesex, UK: Viking Arkana, 1991:514-6.

26. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998:315.

27. Harrell BL, Rudolph AH. Kelp diet: A cause of acneiform eruption. Arch Dermatol 1976;112:560 [letter].

28. Okamura K, Inoue K, Omae T. A case of Hashimoto's thyroiditis with thyroid immunological abnormality manifested after habitual ingestion of seaweed. Acta Endocrinol 1978;88:703-12.

29. Kim JY, Kim KR. Dietary iodine intake and urinary iodine excretion in patients with thyroid diseases. Yonsei Med J. 2000;41:22-8.

30. Walkiw O, Douglas DE. Health food supplements prepared from kelp--a source of elevated urinary arsenic. Can Med Assoc J 1974;111:1301-2 [letter].

31. Conz PA, La Greca G, Benedetti P, et al. Fucus vesiculosus: A nephrotoxic alga? Nephrol Dial Transplant 1998;13:526-7 [letter].

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The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2024.