Does Ecklonia Cava cause shedding & scalp itch?

I started taking Ecklonia cava about 2 weeks ago and am satisfied with the extra energy and well being I feel it provides. However one week into it I started getting an intense scalp itch that is accompanied with one of the worst sheds I've had for a long time. My regimen is in my signature and the only two things I recently started are Ecklonia cava and a liver support product. I started the Liver Support about 4 weeks ago and I started the Eck. cava 2 weeks ago. I did not notice any hair issues after the liver support except it also gave me a boost of energy and overall well being once I started. The scalp itch and shedding started after I started Ecklonia cava.

If there was not any scalp itch I would not worry that much and probably think this is a good sign but in my experience itch & shedding together are usually not a good sign.

Any thoughts?

masterfree wrote:I started taking Ecklonia cava about 2 weeks ago and am satisfied with the extra energy and well being I feel it provides. However one week into it I started getting an intense scalp itch that is accompanied with one of the worst sheds I've had for a long time. My regimen is in my signature and the only two things I recently started are Ecklonia cava and a liver support product. I started the Liver Support about 4 weeks ago and I started the Eck. cava 2 weeks ago. I did not notice any hair issues after the liver support except it also gave me a boost of energy and overall well being once I started. The scalp itch and shedding started after I started Ecklonia cava.

If there was not any scalp itch I would not worry that much and probably think this is a good sign but in my experience itch & shedding together are usually not a good sign.

Any thoughts?

I've noticed that when I start EC, for instance a month and a half ago after I stopped for a while trying to figure my regimen out, my daily itchiness up there stopped and my hair and scalp felt better. Right now I am taking 1000mg of seanol f a day and depending on what I eat I will still get an itch. So I really do not know. I need to start detoxing metals with humifulvate soon, I think that is when these antioxidants can really shine otherwise results might be well, bleh. The science is definitely there to back this product up. It might not remain in my regimen though.

I'm curious as to how EC increases nitric oxide. Is it simply by reducing its conversion to harmful radical or is it also through another action?

Interesting, I thought this would be a really good supplement for hair because I felt it really helps with energy and mental clarity. I know CS highly recommends it but the itch worries me. Itch is a sign of inflammation and should not be a good thing. I would not worry about the shedding otherwise.

masterfree wrote:Interesting, I thought this would be a really good supplement for hair because I felt it really helps with energy and mental clarity. I know CS highly recommends it but the itch worries me. Itch is a sign of inflammation and should not be a good thing. I would not worry about the shedding otherwise.

I think it is a good supplement, but I think like all things it will benefit some more than others. You are correct that this is inflamation and that is of course bad. Trial and error brother.

bh2o wrote:

masterfree wrote:Interesting, I thought this would be a really good supplement for hair because I felt it really helps with energy and mental clarity. I know CS highly recommends it but the itch worries me. Itch is a sign of inflammation and should not be a good thing. I would not worry about the shedding otherwise.

I think it is a good supplement, but I think like all things it will benefit some more than others. You are correct that this is inflamation and that is of course bad. Trial and error brother.

I guess the question should be "is it a good supplement for hair health?", I can feel the other benefits but if it is hurting my hair I have to be careful. The fact that it is one of the big 6 CS recommends is the reason I started this topic.

If this is an expected phase that will pass I will keep taking it. In any event if anyone tells me this is normal then he also should address my concern about the returned intense itch, which I did not have for a long time.

I would think the only way that it would cause inflammation of any sort, is if you had an allergy to sea vegetables/weeds.

nidhogge wrote:I would think the only way that it would cause inflammation of any sort, is if you had an allergy to sea vegetables/weeds.

I dont, because I regularly take kelp, in fact I took it everyday for about three months this year, now I take icelandic kelp on weekends. I never had the itch because of kelp.

Does anyone know if E. Cava increases any sex hormones? if it increases testosterone for example that may explain the benefits of general well being and energy boost as well as the extra itch due to DHT conversion. Let me know

Master--

Just to be clear, you aren't taking the 'Pure Ecklonia Cava' supplement that CS and I sell on this forum, correct?

nidhogge wrote:Master--

Just to be clear, you aren't taking the 'Pure Ecklonia Cava' supplement that CS and I sell on this forum, correct?

It's in his sig. If I am not mistaken that is 53mg of seanol p.

nidhogge wrote:Master--

Just to be clear, you aren't taking the 'Pure Ecklonia Cava' supplement that CS and I sell on this forum, correct?

No I am taking Swanson's 53 mg E. Cava Extract, 1 capsule per day.

I first thought 1 capsule may not be enough because 53 mg seemed like a low amount but it is very effective in terms of energy boost. I know it does something, is it good for hair that I don't know.

masterfree that's quite a low dose.

Ortho-Nutrition brand is 160 milligrams per dose, which is taken twice daily (1 X morning) and (1 X night).

Here's a general summary of what ECE does.

http://ortho-nutrition.com/ecklonia-cava

If one does not use the Ortho-Nutrition brand, then I recommend this stuff as an alternate.

http://www.iherb.com/Nutricology-FibroBoost-75-Veggie-Caps/7777?at=hil335

Itching is not simple to address regarding a specific supplement. Itching is not always a clear sign,
sometimes it is a positive sign (not always).

In any event, would recommend heavy metal detox, if you have not already tried it

CausticSymmetry wrote:masterfree that's quite a low dose.

Ortho-Nutrition brand is 160 milligrams per dose, which is taken twice daily (1 X morning) and (1 X night).

Here's a general summary of what ECE does.

http://ortho-nutrition.com/ecklonia-cava

If one does not use the Ortho-Nutrition brand, then I recommend this stuff as an alternate.

http://www.iherb.com/Nutricology-FibroBoost-75-Veggie-Caps/7777?at=hil335

Itching is not simple to address regarding a specific supplement. Itching is not always a clear sign,
sometimes it is a positive sign (not always).

In any event, would recommend heavy metal detox, if you have not already tried it

CS
I can take more of this but even at this 1 capsule I can feel this is doing SOMETHING. It is somewhat obvious this itching started after EC, could it be the liver support product, I am not sure but I dont think so because I started taking that prior to EC and did not have the itching.

I did heavy metal detox couple of times and tested my hair after, that should not be the cause.

If you are positive that this itch will resolve after a while I will continue but at this stage I think I am right to be worried. Itch+shedding typically not a good sign. I used to use Fin and had a shed before growing in some hair but there was no itching during that shed.

I am very interested to know what EC does to cortisol and other hormones.

I am pretty positive about this now, I stopped taking E. Cava three days ago, itch subsided. I took one this morning by the evening the itch returned. WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?

Could be a reaction to the magnesium stearate and silica in Swanson's brand, or perhaps it is not necessarily a bad thing...not sure to be honest. :/

nidhogge wrote:Could be a reaction to the magnesium stearate and silica in Swanson's brand, or perhaps it is not necessarily a bad thing...not sure to be honest. :/

I take other supplements that contain magnesium stearate or silica and do not get this itch. I am not sold on the magnesium stearate phobia anyways. There is 100 times more stearic acid in a piece of chocolate than in a tablet , stearic acid (which is where magnesium stearate comes from) is found in almost all vegetable oils.

Anyways, not to digress, I am not sure if this itch is a good thing or a bad thing, probably bad but not sure. I really want to take this supplement because it does provide me extra energy and alertness.

It's difficult to say about the itch, but ECE lowers cortisol.

CausticSymmetry wrote:It's difficult to say about the itch, but ECE lowers cortisol.

OK this is interesting. The other two supplements I took to lower cortisol Ashwgandha and PS both increase testosterone by lowering cortisol. Could this be what is happening here? Cortisol suppresses T and when you lower it dramatically T can increase naturally.

Ideally we want to keep cortisol low and T high at all times so this is a good thing. My body just needs to get accustomed to it I guess.

Any updates on ecklonia cava regarding shedding?
The stuff sounds interesting (its effects on MMP-9, increased energy, etc), but I can't afford a shed at any cost.

longhairedredhead wrote:Any updates on ecklonia cava regarding shedding?
The stuff sounds interesting (its effects on MMP-9, increased energy, etc), but I can't afford a shed at any cost.

I do not take EC everyday anymore, it definitely does cause itchy scalp and shedding FOR ME. It appears to help others but not my hair. It gives me a lot of energy though that's why I wanted to keep taking it so bad.

Though, just to be clear, it was never the Ortho Nutrition brand that you used, right masterfree?

I'd be willing to send you 14 capsules or so to see if it has the same effect.

nidhogge wrote:Though, just to be clear, it was never the Ortho Nutrition brand that you used, right masterfree?

I'd be willing to send you 14 capsules or so to see if it has the same effect.

Yes I used Swanson's EC Extract. I will PM my address for the Ortho capsules thank you.

Good man nid.

masterfree wrote:

longhairedredhead wrote:Any updates on ecklonia cava regarding shedding?
The stuff sounds interesting (its effects on MMP-9, increased energy, etc), but I can't afford a shed at any cost.

I do not take EC everyday anymore, it definitely does cause itchy scalp and shedding FOR ME. It appears to help others but not my hair. It gives me a lot of energy though that's why I wanted to keep taking it so bad.

Could it be that too much antioxidant action is causing an pro-oxidant reaction?

In my estimation, any problem with ECE, could be an indication of heavy metals. That said, would try a heavy metal detox, such as how I describe it here: http://healthyfixx.com/plan/5/heavy-metal-detox

If this happens to be true, ECE will work better following that cleanse.

masterfree--

I don't think I ever received a PM from you! IF you did, please resend.