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Breakthrough clinical trial flags fucoidan for prostate health

10 Aug 2026

A recent clinical trial published in Research and Reports in Urology found that daily supplementation with the marine compound fucoidan – a unique polysaccharide found naturally in brown seaweeds – led to statistically and clinically significant improvements in prostate and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men.

The prevalence of LUTS and other prostate-related symptoms increases with age. These symptoms include incomplete emptying, frequency, intermittency, urgency, weak stream, straining and nocturia (waking regularly to urinate). Resulting sleep disruption, social limitations, reduced workplace productivity and mental distress, can significantly reduce quality-of-life.

The 90-day randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 88 men with LUTS . Participants were administered a daily high purity Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan supplement or a placebo. A validated assessment tool, the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), was used to assess changes in urinary symptoms. As part of the IPSS, the study included a quality-of-life assessment based on urinary symptoms

Compared to the placebo, participants taking the high purity fucoidan supplement showed:

• Clinically significant improvements in overall urinary symptoms
•  A more than nine-fold improvement in voiding symptoms (encompassing the symptoms of emptying, intermittency, weak stream and straining) 
•  A two-fold improvement in storage symptoms (encompassing the symptoms of frequency, urgency and nocturia) 
• A significant improvement in quality-of-life due to urinary symptoms

The high purity Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan extract utilised in the study was produced by Australian biotechnology company Marinova using a proprietary aqueous extraction method. 

The company’s Research Director, Dr Barbara Wimmer, said, “This was a particularly rigorous clinical study. Not only did it study assess changes in urinary symptoms, but it also determined if these changes were clinically significant. The findings represent exciting potential for fucoidan in the men’s health category.”

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