Low-Molecular-Weight Oligo-Fucoidan Boosts Muscle Strength in Older Adults

[TAIPEI, October 21, 2025] – A new clinical trial published in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics (Volume 140, January 2026) has demonstrated that supplementation with low-molecular-weight Oligo-Fucoidan effectively improved muscle strength and physical performance in older adults residing in the community. The study, conducted as a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, was authored by Yun-Ching Chang, Hung-Wen Liu, Tsung-Jen Hsieh, and Sue-Joan Chang, among others.

The research addressed the growing public health concern of Sarcopenia, which is characterized by the age-related loss of muscle mass and function. The trial sought alternatives for individuals with limited exercise capacity who struggle to participate in standard resistance training, the current "gold standard" management.

Key Findings:

1. Enhanced Grip Strength: Oligo-Fucoidan supplementation alone (OliFuco group) significantly improved grip strength after 12 weeks (p<0.001). This improvement showed a large effect size (r=0.82). Importantly, the study considered clinical relevance, finding that 64.7% of participants in the OliFuco group exceeded the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) threshold for grip strength.

2. Improved Physical Performance: The Oligo-Fucoidan group also showed a statistically significant improvement in the distance covered during the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) (p<0.001). This functional gain was considered meaningful, as 47.1% of participants surpassed the minimal detectable change (MDC) thresholds.

3. Safety and Tolerance: The supplement was confirmed to be safe and well-tolerated, with no adverse events reported during the intervention period. The results support its use as a safe dietary supplement.

While the Oligo-Fucoidan supplementation significantly enhanced functional outcomes, the 12-week period did not yield significant changes in muscle mass indicators, such as calf circumference or Appendicular Lean Mass Index (ALMI), in the treatment groups. In contrast, the placebo group actually exhibited a statistically significant reduction in calf circumference (p=0.012).

The researchers concluded that Oligo-Fucoidan supplementation offers promising potential as a safe, non-pharmacological intervention for sarcopenia, particularly for older adults facing barriers to consistent exercise participation. The overall statistical analysis across six key outcomes indicated a significant group difference (p=0.026), driven primarily by the greater improvements in grip strength observed in the Oligo-Fucoidan group compared to the placebo.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167494325003127