Health-Promoting Functions of the Marine Carotenoid Fucoxanthin.

Fucoxanthin (Fx) is a marine carotenoid found in brown seaweeds and several marine microalgae. Recent studies have reported that dietary Fx exhibits many health-promoting functions such as anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects in animal experiments. A human clinical trial of Fx showed high potential on reduction of body weight and fat content. The anti-obesity effect of Fx is due to several mechanisms, which include the suppression of adipocyte differentiation, anti-inflammation, and uncouple protein 1 induction in white adipose tissue. Furthermore, Fx reduced blood glucose level and improved insulin resistance through the regulation of adipokine mRNA expressions. In this chapter, we reviewed health beneficial effects and safety of Fx and discussed their molecular mechanisms.