Market Updates

Several Ecklonia Cava Supplements Contain No Detectable Bioactives: Nootropics Depot

The company tested seven products purchased online from major U.S. retailers.

Author Image

By: Mike Montemarano

Associate Editor, Nutraceuticals World

Photo: Евгений Логвиненко | Adobe Stock

In a review of eight independent market tests on Ecklonia cava supplements, out of all brands reviewed, only Nootropics Depot’s product contained detectable levels of dieckol, the key bioactive compound responsible for the seaweed’s health benefits, the retailer reported.

Seven commercially available Ecklonia cava supplements from major U.S. retailers were analyzed via third-party chromatography and DNA analysis. Nootropics Depot’s product contained 2.05 mg of dieckol per capsule, while all other products showed no detectable levels of the compound, the retailer stated. DNA testing also revealed that many products claiming to be Ecklonia cava actually contained unrelated seaweed species, according to the report.

The products that reportedly failed Nootropics Depot’s tests included those by Swanson, Vita World, Box Nutra, Marine Technologies, Monoherb, and Spliferkou.

Nootropics Depot is sourced exclusively from coastal Korea under strict environmental and legal guidelines, and the company developed the first validated botanical reference standard for Ecklonia cava to support quality control and create a supply chain that guarantees authenticity. Each batch of the company’s supplements is standardized to contain at least 0.5% dieckol and is supported by certificates of analysis published on every product page.

“Too often, consumers face a supplement industry plagued by vague claims and unverified products,” said Paul Eftang, CEO of Nootropics Depot. “Our Ecklonia cava is not only supported by years of scientific development and third-party testing—it is setting a new standard for transparency and authenticity. We believe the data should speak for itself, and we are proud to lead by example as the only proven source of real Ecklonia cava on the market.”

Through providing lab reports, sourcing information, and transparent communication, Nootropics Depot seeks to set a bar for standards in the supplement industry.

Keep Up With Our Content. Subscribe To Nutraceuticals World Newsletters