Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review Article
  • Published:

Impact of seaweed intake on health

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 75, pages 877–889 (2021)Cite this article

Subjects

A Correction to this article was published on 15 October 2020

This article has been updated

Abstract

Seaweeds contain minerals, vitamins, soluble dietary fibers, and flavonoids, which are regarded as preventive agents against lifestyle-related diseases. Seaweeds are consumed commonly in East Asian countries including Japan. Thus, intake of seaweeds might contribute to Japanese longevity via prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. Recently, two large Japanese cohort studies have reported the association of seaweed intake with reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, seaweeds also contain iodine and heavy metals such as arsenic species, which are considered to have adverse effects on health. We here reviewed studies of the association between seaweed intake and mortality from or incidence of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and their risk factors such as blood pressure or serum lipids. We also summarized the adverse effects of iodine and arsenic species in seaweeds. Although seaweeds have not been widely consumed in Western countries, dietary diversification and an increased proportion of immigrants from East Asia may increase seaweed consumption in those countries. Further epidemiological studies including observational and interventional studies are necessary to clarify the effects of seaweeds on disease and health.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of mortality from total stroke and ischemic heart disease according to the frequency of seaweed intake among men and women in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk study.
Fig. 2: Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of incidence of total stroke and ischemic heart disease according to frequency of seaweed intake among men and women in the Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective study.

Similar content being viewed by others

Change history

References

  1. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. National Health and Nutrition Survey 2017. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10904750/000351576.pdf. Accessed 20 Feb 2020.

  2. The National Institute of Health and Nutrition. Annual changes in intake by food group. https://www.nibiohn.go.jp/eiken/kenkounippon21/eiyouchousa/keinen_henka_syokuhin.html. Accessed 20 Feb 2020.

  3. O’Connor K. Seaweed: A Global History. London: Reaktion Books Ltd; 2015.

  4. Cardoso SM, Pereira OR, Seca AM, Pinto DC, Silva AM. Seaweeds as preventive agents for cardiovascular diseases: from nutrients to functional foods. Mar Drugs. 2015;13:6838–65.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. MacArtain P, Gill CI, Brooks M, Campbell R, Rowland IR. Nutritional value of edible seaweeds. Nutr Rev. 2007;65:535–43.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Suetsuna K, Maekawa K, Chen JR. Antihypertensive effects of Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) peptide on blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. J Nutr Biochem. 2004;15:267–72.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Yamori Y, Nara Y, Tsubouchi T, Sogawa Y, Ikeda K, Horie R. Dietary prevention of stroke and its mechanisms in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats-preventive effect of dietary fibre and palmitoleic acid. J Hypertens Suppl. 1986;4:S449–52.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ikeda K, Kitamura A, Machida H, Watanabe M, Negishi H, Hiraoka J, et al. Effect of Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) on the development of cerebrovascular diseases in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2003;30:44–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Sato M, Hosokawa T, Yamaguchi T, Nakano T, Muramoto K, Kahara T, et al. Angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides derived from wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) and their antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2002;50:6245–52.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Tsuji K, Oshima S, Matuzaki E, Nakamura A, Innami S, Tezuka T, et al. Effect of polysacchrides on cholesterol metabolism. Eiyogaku Zasshi (in Japanese). 1968;26:113–22.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Yokota T, Nomura K, Nagashima M, Kamimura N. Fucoidan alleviates high-fat diet-induced dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis in ApoE (shl) mice deficient in apolipoprotein E expression. J Nutr Biochem. 2016;32:46–54.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Maeda H, Hosokawa M, Sashima T, Miyashita K. Dietary combination of fucoxanthin and fish oil attenuates the weight gain of white adipose tissue and decreases blood glucose in obese/diabetic KK-Ay mice. J Agric Food Chem. 2007;55:7701–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Maeda H, Yamamoto R, Hirao K, Tochikubo O. Effects of agar (kanten) diet on obese patients with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2005;7:40–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Paxman JR, Richardson JC, Dettmar PW, Corfe BM. Daily ingestion of alginate reduces energy intake in free-living subjects. Appetite. 2008;51:713–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hata Y, Nakajima K, Uchida J, Hidaka H, Nakano T. Clinical effects of brown seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida (wakame), on blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2001;30:43–53.

    Google Scholar 

  16. IARC. IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risk to humans. Volume 100C. In a review of human carcinogens: arsenic, metals fibers and dusts. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2012. https://monographs.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mono100C.pdf. Accessed 20 Feb 2020.

  17. Moon KA, Oberoi S, Barchowsky A, Chen Y, Guallar E, Nachman KE, et al. A dose-response meta-analysis of chronic arsenic exposure and incident cardiovascular disease. Int J Epidemiol. 2017;46:1924–39.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Wang W, Xie Z, Lin Y, Zhang D. Association of inorganic arsenic exposure with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2014;68:176–84.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Iso H, Kubota Y. Nutrition and disease in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer (JACC). Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2007;8:35–80.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Nelson SM, Gao YT, Nogueira LM, Shen MC, Wang B, Rashid A, et al. Diet and biliary tract cancer risk in Shanghai, China. PLoS ONE. 2017;12:e0173935.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Shigihara M, Obara T, Nagai M, Sugawara Y, Watanabe T, Kakizaki M, et al. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, and seaweeds (sea vegetables) and pancreatic cancer risk: the Ohsaki Cohort Study. Cancer Epidemiol. 2014;38:129–36.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Key TJ, Sharp GB, Appleby PN, Beral V, Goodman MT, Soda M, et al. Soya foods and breast cancer risk: a prospective study in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Br J Cancer. 1999;81:1248–56.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Yang YJ, Nam SJ, Kong G, Kim MK. A case-control study on seaweed consumption and the risk of breast cancer. Br J Nutr. 2010;103:1345–53.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Wada K, Nakamura K, Tamai Y, Tsuji M, Watanabe K, Ando K, et al. Seaweed intake and urinary sex hormone levels in preschool Japanese children. Cancer Causes Control. 2012;23:239–44.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Severson RK, Nomura AM, Grove JS, Stemmermann GN. A prospective study of demographics, diet, and prostate cancer among men of Japanese ancestry in Hawaii. Cancer Res. 1989;49:1857–60.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Allen NE, Sauvaget C, Roddam AW, Appleby P, Nagano J, Suzuki G, et al. A prospective study of diet and prostate cancer in Japanese men. Cancer Causes Control. 2004;15:911–20.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Michikawa T, Inoue M, Shimazu T, Sawada N, Iwasaki M, Sasazuki S, et al. Seaweed consumption and the risk of thyroid cancer in women: the Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2012;21:254–60.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Wang C, Yatsuya H, Li Y, Ota A, Tamakoshi K, Fujino Y, et al. Prospective study of seaweed consumption and thyroid cancer incidence in women: the Japan collaborative cohort study. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2016;25:239–45.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Chyou PH, Nomura AM, Stemmermann GN. Diet, alcohol, smoking and cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract: a prospective study among Hawaii Japanese men. Int J Cancer. 1995;60:616–21.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Ping Y, Ogushi Y, Okada Y, Haruki Y, Okazaki I, Ogawa T. Lifestyle and colorectal cancer: a case-control study. Environ Health Prev Med. 1998;3:146–51.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Benjamin EJ, Virani SS, Callaway CW, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics-2018 update: a report from the american heart association. Circulation. 2018;137:e67–e492.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Shimazu T, Kuriyama S, Hozawa A, Ohmori K, Sato Y, Nakaya N, et al. Dietary patterns and cardiovascular disease mortality in Japan: a prospective cohort study. Int J Epidemiol. 2007;36:600–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Nanri A, Shimazu T, Ishihara J, Takachi R, Mizoue T, Inoue M, et al. Reproducibility and validity of dietary patterns assessed by a food frequency questionnaire used in the 5-year follow-up survey of the Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study. J Epidemiol. 2012;22:205–15.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Kishida R, Yamagishi K, Muraki I, Sata M, Tamakoshi A, Iso H. Frequency of seaweed intake and its association with cardiovascular disease mortality: the JACC Study. J Atheroscler Thromb. 2020; epub ahead of print 5 Mar 2020. https://doi.org/10.5551/jat.53447.

  35. Murai U, Yamagishi K, Sata M, Kokubo Y, Saito I, Yatsuya H, et al. Seaweed intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: the Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective (JPHC) Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;110:1449–55.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Baba S, Ozawa H, Sakai Y, Terao A, Konishi M, Tatara K. Heart disease deaths in a Japanese urban area evaluated by clinical and police records. Circulation. 1994;89:109–15.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Saito I. Review of death certificate diagnosis of coronary heart disease and heart failure in Japan. Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi. 2004;51:909–16.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Wada K, Nakamura K, Tamai Y, Tsuji M, Sahashi Y, Watanabe K, et al. Seaweed intake and blood pressure levels in healthy pre-school Japanese children. Nutr J. 2011;10:83.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Wada K, Tsuji M, Nakamura K, Oba S, Nishizawa S, Yamamoto K, et al. Effect of dietary nori (dried laver) on blood pressure in young Japanese children: an intervention study. J Epidemiol. 2020; epub ahead of print 21 Mar 2020. https://doi.org/10.2188/jea.JE20190176.

  40. Teas J, Baldeón ME, Chiriboga DE, Davis JR, Sarriés AJ, Braverman LE. Could dietary seaweed reverse the metabolic syndrome? Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2009;18:145–54.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Krotkiewski M, Aurell M, Holm G, Grimby G, Szczepanik J. Effects of a sodium-potassium ion-exchanging seaweed preparation in mild hypertension. Am J Hypertens. 1991;4:483–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Yoshinaga K, Mitamura R. Effects of Undaria pinnatifida (Wakame) on postprandial serum lipid responses in humans. J Jpn Soc Nutr Food Sci (in Japanese). 2019;72:267–73.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Shin A, Lim SY, Sung J, Shin HR, Kim J. Dietary intake, eating habits, and metabolic syndrome in Korean men. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:633–40.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Kim MS, Kim JY, Choi WH, Lee SS. Effects of seaweed supplementation on blood glucose concentration, lipid profile, and antioxidant enzyme activities in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutr Res Pract. 2008;2:62–7.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Paradis ME, Couture P, Lamarche B. A randomised crossover placebo-controlled trial investigating the effect of brown seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus) on postchallenge plasma glucose and insulin levels in men and women. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2011;36:913–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Yoshinaga K, Mitamura R. Effects of Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) on postprandial glycemia and insulin levels in humans: a randomized crossover trial. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2019;74:461–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Georg Jensen M, Kristensen M, Astrup A. Effect of alginate supplementation on weight loss in obese subjects completing a 12-wk energy-restricted diet: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012;96:5–13.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Hall AC, Fairclough AC, Mahadevan K, Paxman JR. Ascophyllum nodosum enriched bread reduces subsequent energy intake with no effect on post-prandial glucose and cholesterol in healthy, overweight males. A pilot study. Appetite. 2012;58:379–86.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Yoshinaga K, Maruya R, Koikeda T, Nakano T. Effects of Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) on the human intestinal environment. Funct Foods Health Dis. 2018;8:488–504.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Feldmann J, Krupp EM. Critical review or scientific opinion paper: arsenosugars–a class of benign arsenic species or justification for developing partly speciated arsenic fractionation in foodstuffs? Anal Bioanal Chem. 2011;399:1735–41.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Rose M, Lewis J, Langford N, Baxter M, Origgi S, Barber M, et al. Arsenic in seaweed–forms, concentration and dietary exposure. Food Chem Toxicol. 2007;45:1263–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. WHO. Preventing disease through healthy environments-exposure to arsenic: a majour public health concern. Geneva, Switzerland. 2019. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/329482/WHO-CED-PHE-EPE-19.4.1-eng.pdf?ua=1. Accessed 20 Feb 2020.

  53. The Japan Food Safety Commission of Japan. Inorganic arsenic contained in hijiki. Japan. 2011. http://www.fsc.go.jp/fsciis/questionAndAnswer/show/mob07009000005. Accessed 20 Feb 2020.

  54. The Council for Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan. Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, the seventh revised and supplementary edition 2018. Tokyo: Printing Bureau, Ministry of Finance; 2018.

  55. Katagiri R, Asakura K, Sasaki S, Hirota N, Notsu A, Miura A, et al. Estimation of habitual iodine intake in Japanese adults using 16 d diet records over four seasons with a newly developed food composition database for iodine. Br J Nutr. 2015;114:624–34.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Nakatsuka H, Chiba K, Watanabe T, Sawatari H, Seki T. Iodine intake by adult residents of a farming area in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, and the accuracy of estimated iodine intake calculated using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. Environ Health Prev Med. 2016;21:523–30.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  57. Teas J, Braverman LE, Kurzer MS, Pino S, Hurley TG, Hebert JR. Seaweed and soy: companion foods in Asian cuisine and their effects on thyroid function in American women. J Med Food. 2007;10:90–100.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Nishiyama S, Mikeda T, Okada T, Nakamura K, Kotani T, Hishinuma A. Transient hypothyroidism or persistent hyperthyrotropinemia in neonates born to mothers with excessive iodine intake. Thyroid. 2004;14:1077–83.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Hamby T, Kunnel N, Dallas JS, Wilson DP. Maternal iodine excess: an uncommon cause of acquired neonatal hypothyroidism. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2018;31:1061–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Konno N, Makita H, Yuri K, Iizuka N, Kawasaki K. Association between dietary iodine intake and prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in the coastal regions of Japan. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1994;78:393–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Yoshida M. Iodine content in kombu (edible kelp) products consumed in Japan (in Japanese). Health Labour Sciences Research Grant Report 2008. http://www.shc.usp.ac.jp/shibata/H20-III-3.pdf. Accessed 20 Feb 2020.

  62. Serra Majem LL, Tresserras R, Canela J, Salleras L. Dietary iodine deficiency and breast cancer mortality: an ecological study. Int J Epidemiol. 1988;17:686–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Ms F. Miyamasu, Medical English Communications Center, University of Tsukuba, for editorial assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, and Health Services Research and Development Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

    Utako Murai, Kazumasa Yamagishi, Rie Kishida & Hiroyasu Iso

  2. Epidemiology and Prevention Group, Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan

    Utako Murai

  3. Ibaraki Western Medical Center, Chikusei, Japan

    Kazumasa Yamagishi

  4. Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan

    Hiroyasu Iso

Authors
  1. Utako Murai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kazumasa Yamagishi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rie Kishida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hiroyasu Iso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazumasa Yamagishi.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Murai, U., Yamagishi, K., Kishida, R. et al. Impact of seaweed intake on health. Eur J Clin Nutr 75, 877–889 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00739-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00739-8

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links