Seaweed-Based Nutritional Supplements by Dr. Conor Brady
Sea algae are the next frontier. Seaweed has been a popular food supplement of ours for more than 8,000 years and yet still we know so little about them. For example, people use the word “kelp” (Laminaria), the stuff that grows in underwater forests, as if there was only one kind of seaweed out there where there are actually 10,000 of them out there under the waves. In fact, there are more seaweeds in the ocean than edible herbs on the planet!
What’s more, they are absolutely packed with vitamins and minerals, which is why raw dog food producers choose to include it in their mixes (though qualities and indeed quantities of seaweed used therein can vary wildly). More than simple nutrition, seaweed is also full of all sorts of antioxidants. They have to be. They live in very harsh environments, with diurnal changes in salinity, temperature, oxygen exposure and munching sea creatures, not to mention the mechanical battering they take from waves on a daily basis. Moreover, many of these antioxidants are entirely unique to these plants.
Seaweeds contain antioxidants that are entirely unique and stuides show they are incredibly effective at treating a range of maladies…
Seaweeds boast all the usual bits and pieces you'd expect, such as high vitamin and mineral contents and a great range of the more well-researched antioxidants. For this reason, seaweed is the next frontier of “functional foods”, as study after study show they pack a real, medicinal punch. Some of the more studied antioxidants they can contain include carotene and lutein, bromophenol, various phenolic groups and polyphenols, which all can be found in land plants, but also contain a whole range of entirely unique polysaccharides including fucoidan, fucophlorethols and fucoxanthin, which only seaweeds have. Studies show these antioxidants can be anti-tumour, anti-HIV, anti-viral, antiproliferative, antimutagenic, effective in treating breast cancer and a great range of other maladies. If there's ever one superfood, seaweed is it. You can learn more about these studies in our article kelp for cancer – and everything else!
This is why I eat seaweed every day (I eat our Irish seaweed blend, truth be told, though it is for dogs). I put a pinch in Duds’ food every day too.
“Our team uses only wild-grown and sustainably harvested seaweeds from the Irish Atlantic and, crucially, no heat in the drying process…”
Together with the help of a world-leader in seaweed science, we bring out a range of seaweed supplements. One of these guys is a world-leader in seaweed science with 30 years studying their uses in humans and he has formulated a great range of foods and supplements off the back of them. It’s fair to say we thought he was cracked at the start but are now totally hooked on their potential, largely as he has the science to back it up.
We have now formulated a range of highly effective seaweed-based products. All of the seaweeds we use are sustainably harvested out at sea (the Atlantic), not scraped off the beach and not dredged off the ocean floor (and unbelievably common and destructive practice in the likes of Norway but they’re also trying to bring it into Ireland). Some of our seaweeds grown on ropes while others, such as the mosses, are picked by hand from the intertidal zones. While some can grow quickly (kelp can grow up to half a foot per day!) and are thus cheaper to produce, the mosses might only grow 1mm per day. Unfortunately the latter is where the really powerful bits can be found.
Once picked we do not use heat to dry them. The mass-producers might as this decreases production time but antioxidants and polysaccharides are delicate things and they hate heat. This is just one reason why our products are so effective in trial and why we offer a money-back guarantee on any of our products that target at specific conditions, such as BF8 (for gut issues), StoolRite (for constipation and anal glands) and Oculus Prime (weepy eyes).
Here are the range:
BIOFUNCTION8
I needed a product to help gut issues in dogs. BF8 is a blend of 3 seaweeds and a seaweed extract, chosen for their anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. To these we added organic marshmallow, chamomile and chia seeds, all known to promote gut membrane and overall gut health. We also added in a pinch of StoolRite for fibre and prebiotics.
STOOLRITE
StoolRite contains a unique combination of soluble and insoluble dietary fibres that will help stool quality in dogs. It can be used as both a stool former and stool softener, depending on the need, somewhat unbelievably. It can help with anal gland issues in dogs. Furthermore, natural complex carbohydrates and dietary saccharides in StoolRite may act as a natural prebiotic to restore microbiota balance and boosting gut health in dogs.
OCULUS PRIME
OP was brought out to reduce the inflammation that results in weepy eyes. There are a lot of reasons for weepy eyes in dogs but if it is environmental (and not a facial morphology issues) OP will help. It seems to be highly anti-inflammatory, working systemically (from the inside, out) and is around 70% effective which, without antibiotics, is saying something. OP has a money-back guarantee, if it doesn’t work for your dog you get your money back, no questions).
ORGANIC IRISH KELP
I think this is the finest, organic, sustainably harvested (not off the beach or intertidal zone where anti-oxidant content is significantly less) Atlantic brown kelp out there for dogs today. Laminaria is packed full of powerful antioxidants such as fucoidans that are unique to seaweeds as well as iodine both of which promote health in your dog. Favoured by breeders worldwide. Often used to promote coat condition.
AC4
We selected four seaweeds from this list of studies and bring you a product we call AC4, which we hope will assist your pet to live with cancer (it’s not so much about fighting it but managing and preventing further growth. Anything after that is a plus).
CANIDENT
Canident is a blend of sustainably-harvested brown seaweeds that are farmed out in the cool waters of the Atlantic off West Ireland. The plants selected contain unique polysaccharides that studies show soften and reduce the tartar on your dog's teeth over time. We take great care how we dry our product, preserving these good bits. We are so confident Canident will do the job, we offer a money-back guarantee it will do the job.
KANEX
Kanex comprises of 50% Dulse and 50% crushed, organic Stryian pumpkin seeds. It is expected to be an effective worm preventative. Kanex comes with a money-back guarantee. If your dog registers positive for any gut worm whilst on their correct dose of Kanex (verified by proof of purchase) via ANY FAECAL WORM EGG COUNT PROVIDER, we will instantly and without quibble refund the cost of your Kanex purchase to cover the cost of your failed worm count. That's how confident we are.
DENEEM
DeNeem is a unique, entirely natural and 100% effective non-toxic alternative to pesticides that kills bugs mechanically. Kills fleas, ticks, mites, ants, bed bugs, lice and red mite as well as gut worms (adults and larva). Contains Codex (Food Grade) Diatomaceous Earth and Organic Neem, a natural flea repellant. It's so effective that if it doesn't work to kill a critter on the list above, you get your money back. No quibble.