Five fucoidan fractions from Laminaria japonica with different sulfate content and molecular weight were prepared by anion-exchange chromatography and mild acid hydrolysis. Their antioxidant effects on azo radicals 2-2'-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) induced oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were evaluated by monitoring cholesteryl ester hydroperoxides (CHL-OOH) formation kinetics through reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis. Fucoidan F-C with a low molecular mass of 2 000～8 000 and a sulfate content of 24.3% had much stronger protective antioxidant effect than other four fucoidan fractions on the hydrophilic radical AAPH induced LDL oxidation. However, the highly sulfated fucoidan fraction L-B with a molecular mass of 20 000 was completely ineffective in protecting LDL from the AAPH induced oxidation. The results suggested that both molecular mass and sulfate content of fucoidan played very important roles in their effects on the AAPH induced LDL oxidation.