FucoVital® (Microalgae Fucoxanthin — Algatech)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

1. Abidov M, Ramazanov Z, Seifulla R, Grachev S The effects of Xanthigen in the weight management of obese premenopausal women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and normal liver fat Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2010;12(1):72-81. doi:10.1111/j.1463-1326.2009.01132.x.PubMedUsed to support: 16 week randomized trial in obese premenopausal women, including women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It tested Xanthigen, a different brand's combination of brown seaweed fucoxanthin plus pomegranate seed oil. Weight fell about 5.5 kg in the fatty liver group, with improvements in body fat, liver fat and liver enzymes, but those results cannot be attributed to fucoxanthin alone and were not obtained with FucoVital. The one fucoxanthin specific result was that intakes above 2.4 mg raised resting energy expenditure.
2. Dickerson B, Maury J, Jenkins V, Nottingham K, Xing D, Gonzalez DE, Leonard M, Kendra J, Ko J, Yoo C, Johnson S, Pradelles R, Purpura M, Jäger R, Sowinski R, Rasmussen CJ, Kreider RB Effects of Supplementation with Microalgae Extract from Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Mi136) to Support Benefits from a Weight Management Intervention in Overweight Women Nutrients. 2024;16(7):990. doi:10.3390/nu16070990.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of a different product, Mi136, a Phaeodactylum tricornutum extract standardized to 4.4 mg fucoxanthin a day, in 37 overweight women on a 12-week diet and exercise program. It gave no additional weight or fat loss; the authors reported better bone density, blood lipids and quality-of-life measures. Two authors were affiliated with the sponsor, Microphyt. It did not test FucoVital itself.
3. Miyashita K, Beppu F, Hosokawa M, Liu X, Wang S Nutraceutical characteristics of the brown seaweed carotenoid fucoxanthin Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 2020;686:108364. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2020.108364.PubMedUsed to support: Review article, not a clinical trial. It summarizes mostly laboratory and animal research on fucoxanthin and fat, antioxidant and liver effects. A review cannot show that FucoVital works in people.
4. López-Ramos A, González-Ortiz M, Martínez-Abundis E, Pérez-Rubio KG Effect of Fucoxanthin on Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Sensitivity, and Insulin Secretion. J Med Food. 2023;26(7):521-527..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 28 patients with metabolic syndrome given 12 mg fucoxanthin or placebo daily for 12 weeks. The abstract reports before-and-after values in the fucoxanthin group: body weight 80.6 to 79.16 kg, plus lower BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure and triglycerides. It does not report a between-group difference for weight. Generic fucoxanthin, not FucoVital. Backs the new body weight benefit.
5. Mikami N, Hosokawa M, Miyashita K, Sohma H, Ito YM, Kokai Y Reduction of HbA1c levels by fucoxanthin-enriched akamoku oil possibly involves the thrifty allele of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1): a randomised controlled trial in normal-weight and obese Japanese adults. J Nutr Sci. 2017;6:e5..PubMedUsed to support: Single-blind randomized trial in 60 Japanese adults with BMI over 22, given fucoxanthin-enriched akamoku (brown seaweed) oil at 0, 1 or 2 mg fucoxanthin a day for 8 weeks. Obesity-related parameters, visceral fat area and resting energy expenditure did not change significantly, although HbA1c fell in the 2 mg group versus 0 mg. Seaweed-derived fucoxanthin, not FucoVital. Backs the no-change statement in the new body weight benefit.