Sea Moss- Great for Everyone????
I am seeing Sea Moss everywhere I turn. It is at the farmer's markets, in the herb stores; it is all around me. There are sea moss teas, sea moss lemonades, and sea moss supplements. Everyone seems to be touting this as the newest and best thing for you.
So, I decided to do a deep dive.
I have naturally shied away from sea moss. I am in remission from Graves' Disease, an autoimmune thyroid disorder, which can be deadly. I knew enough about sea moss to know that it is extremely high in iodine. I also know that iodine has a powerful effect on the thyroid. There was simply no way that I was going to risk the return of the disease for a supplement. I have known someone who developed Graves' Disease simply by ingesting too much iodine. There is actually a name for it- Jod-Basedow syndrome and conversely there is a name for iodine induced hypothyroidism- Wolff-Chalkoff Effect.
But most of the public does not have a thyroid disorder, so I understand the allure of sea moss. It is packed!!! Packed full of minerals and prebiotic fiber and, of course, iodine. The prebiotic fiber helps feed the good bacteria in your gut, potentially increasing the amount of good bacteria in your body. People have found that the natural carrageenan in sea moss has been shown to hydrate the skin and calm inflammation. The majority of the claimed benefits of sea moss are from studies on seaweed. Seaweed has been shown to help the heart in many ways. Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol while regulating blood sugar.
Unfortunately, there is not much research that has actually been done on sea moss, so I haven't found any studies to back up the historical use. The studies that I did find point to the dangers of sea moss for those with thyroid disorders. A study detailed how a patient worsened her Graves' Disease by sporadically ingesting sea moss. One found that a nursing mother who ingested sea moss had a baby who developed thyroid suppression.
Something to be mindful of is that seaweed and sea moss have been known to contain heavy metals like lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic.
I think that it looks like sea moss can be beneficial to many who want to increase their gut health and to those who want to ensure they get their daily allotment of minerals. It warrants due diligence to ensure that the sea moss is free from toxins or heavy metals. Moderation may be a principle to exercise when ingesting sea moss.
It does worry me that I see so many websites touting thyroid function as a benefit of sea moss. The fact that there are named syndromes and effects for the potential that iodine has on the thyroid means that these are real concerns that should be taken seriously.
For me, I will continue to get the prebiotic benefits from garlic, dandelion, cabbage, and asparagus rather than from sea moss.
For those of you who are non-nursing and who have no thyroid issues or history, enjoy your sea moss lemonades and teas!
SOURCES:
Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006-. Sea Moss. [Updated 2026 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK621050/
Khalifa M, Aftab HB, Kantorovich V. “Fueling the Fire” - Irish Sea-Moss Resulting in Jod-Basedow Phenomenon in a Patient With Grave’s Disease. J Endocr Soc. 2021 May 3;5(Suppl 1):A906. doi: 10.1210/jendso/bvab048.1849. PMCID: PMC8090171.