*Article* **Are** *Helicobacter pylori* **Infection and Fucoidan Consumption Associated with Fucoidan Absorption?**

**Makoto Tomori 1,\*, Takeaki Nagamine 2 and Masahiko Iha 1**


Received: 18 March 2020; Accepted: 28 April 2020; Published: 30 April 2020

**Abstract:** We examined the associations of *Helicobacter pylori* and mozuku consumption with fucoidan absorption. Overall, 259 Japanese volunteers consumed 3 g fucoidan, and their urine samples were collected to measure fucoidan values and *H. pylori* titers before and 3, 6, and 9 h after fucoidan ingestion. Compared to the basal levels (3.7 ± 3.4 ng/mL), the urinary fucoidan values significantly increased 3, 6, and 9 h (15.3 ± 18.8, 24.4 ± 35.1, and 24.2 ± 35.2 ng/mL, respectively) after fucoidan ingestion. The basal fucoidan levels were significantly lower in *H. pylori*-negative subjects who rarely ate mozuku than in those who regularly consumed it. Regarding the ΔMax fucoidan value (highest value − basal value) in *H. pylori*-positive subjects who ate mozuku at least once a month, those aged ≥40 years exhibited significantly lower values than <40 years old. Among subjects ≥40 years old who regularly consumed mozuku, the ΔMax fucoidan value was significantly lower in *H. pylori*-positive subjects than in *H. pylori*-negative ones. In *H. pylori*-positive subjects who ate mozuku at least once monthly, basal fucoidan values displayed positive correlations with *H. pylori* titers and ΔMax fucoidan values in subjects <40 years old. No correlations were found in *H. pylori*-positive subjects who ate mozuku once every 2–3 months or less. Thus, fucoidan absorption is associated with *H. pylori* infection and frequency of mozuku consumption.

**Keywords:** fucoidan; *Helicobacter pylori*; mozuku; *Cladosiphon okamuranus* Tokida; urinalysis
