8 Potential Health Benefits of Sea Moss

Sea moss is a type of red algae. It’s also known as Irish sea moss and Irish moss — or Chondrus crispus, if you want to get formal about it. It’s harvested for its carrageenan, an ingredient used to thicken milk products like ice cream, but it’s also available raw and in supplement form — think pills, powders, gels and gummies.

Registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD, weighs in on sea moss’s benefits and side effects, so you can decide whether this spiny sea vegetable deserves a place in your diet.

Sea moss health benefits

Sea moss is a cousin of seaweed. And while there’s plenty of research data on the health benefits of seaweed, the benefits of sea moss haven’t been studied thoroughly.

Still, it’s considered generally safe for consumption, and the benefits are understood to likely be similar to other seaweeds.

“There seem to be quite a few health benefits of sea moss, but they aren’t heavily studied,” Czerwony reiterates.

Sea moss is a healthy source of certain vitamins and nutrients that can be a boon for your health. Among them:

• Fiber
• Folate (vitamin B9)
• Calcium
• Iodine
• Zinc

But it’s worth noting that sea moss supplements (like other nutritional supplements) are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. So, there’s no telling whether your sea moss gel or other supplement will necessarily be the healthy addition to your diet that you’re looking for.

Czerwony shares these eight potential benefits of sea moss.

1. Heart health

Seaweed is a bit of a superfood.

It has a higher fiber content than most vegetables, which is a good thing for your heart and overall health.

Fiber has all kinds of positive effects on your body. It can help to:

• Manage your blood sugar
• Lower cholesterol
• Lower blood pressure
• Reduce your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease

“Studies show that sea moss may help lower bad cholesterol, which is one of the factors for heart disease,” Czerwony emphasizes. “It’s also been shown to help lower blood pressure, another key factor in heart health.”

2. Weight loss

Remember how much fiber seaweed has?

High-fiber foods are filling foods, which means they may keep you from overeating.

“Fiber keeps us fuller longer, which may help with weight control,” Czerwony says.

3. Thyroid function

Iodine is one of the keys to a healthy thyroid. That’s because iodine is an important ingredient in making thyroid hormones. Too little thyroid hormone can put you at risk for hypothyroidism.

But your body doesn’t make iodine on its own; you can only get it through diet.

Most people get enough iodine from their diet. Including from foods like dairy products, seafood and iodized salt.

Sea moss may be a good source of iodine for some people who don’t get enough through other means. But be careful not to go overboard. And never take sea moss without a healthcare provider’s recommendation if you have a thyroid condition. More on that in a bit.

4. Gut health

Your digestive system is full of bacteria — both good and bad.

Balancing out those bacteria is an important element for your well-being. Certain algae, including sea moss, can help keep the good bacteria happy and healthy.

That’s because sea moss is a solid source of fiber and live bacteria. “It can help replenish the good bacteria in our gut,” Czerwony points out.

When your good bacteria are thriving, it can help keep your digestive tract in tip-top shape. That can mean less:

• Heartburn
• Gas
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Diarrhea

5. Immune health

Those gut health benefits extend beyond a strong stomach.

A healthy gut microbiome is associated with a healthy immune system, too.

What’s more, sea moss is high in iron and antioxidants, which both contribute to immune health.

6. Workout recovery

Sea moss is rich in an amino acid called taurine, which helps with muscle-building.

“When we exercise, we get little micro-tears in our muscles,” Czerwony explains, “but amino acids can help with that recovery.”

Muscle-building is also important to your workout success. And sea moss has about 6 grams of protein per 100 grams.

But Czerwony cautions against relying solely on sea moss for exercise recovery. Sea moss may help. But it’s not a replacement for following a healthy exercise program that includes eating healthy food, staying hydrated and getting the rest your body needs.

7. Women’s health

Women may benefit from sea moss in specific ways. For example:

• Fiber helps regulate hormones, in addition to its weight loss and heart-health benefits. For females, that may translate to supporting regular menstrual cycles and increasing fertility.
• Calcium can help females maintain bone density as they age. During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen levels drop, which can affect bone health and lead to osteoporosis.

8. Men’s health

Sea moss can also have specific benefits for men.

Give zinc the credit here. Zinc can support male sexual health in a few ways, including helping maintain healthy testosterone levels and potentially improving sperm quality (and, therefore, improved fertility).

Side effects of taking sea moss supplements

Sea moss is mostly thought to be healthy, though it contains inconsistent amounts of both good nutrients and some less healthy stuff (which we’ll get to in a moment).

“Sea moss is a product of its environment, so its nutritional value depends largely on where it’s grown,” Czerwony clarifies. “Unfortunately, there’s no real way to know exactly what’s in it or how much, and one batch may have higher potency than the next one.”

Sea moss is associated with two key risks.

1. You could consume too much iodine. Too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing, as is the case with iodine. In fact, endocrinologists advise against taking iodine supplements unless specifically indicated by your doctor, as they may actually have a negative effect on your thyroid.
2. It contains heavy metals. Seaweed and sea moss are known to absorb heavy metals from the water in which it grows. It’s not toxic in small amounts, but you definitely don’t want to overdo it on seaweed consumption.

Not of risk but still of note is sea moss’s slimy texture and fishy taste.

Raw sea moss has an earthy, underwater taste similar to clams and oysters.

“If you don’t like seafood, the flavor of raw sea moss is probably not going to be for you,” Czerwony warns.

Sea moss shouldn’t have much of a taste in supplement form.

But taste aside, you may also be put off by sea moss’s mouthfeel: In gel form, it has a slick, thick texture similar to aloe vera. If it bothers you, try switching to a different type of supplement.

How much sea moss to take?

One study found that 4 grams of sea moss per day is typically safe — but you should still check with your healthcare provider before taking sea moss or any nutritional supplement.

If you already have hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, don’t take sea moss unless specifically advised by your healthcare provider.

How to add sea moss to your diet

Sea moss is available raw, as well as in a variety of supplement forms, including:

• Capsules
• Gels
• Gummies
• Lotions
• Powders

Which version you take is up to you.

“It’s really about whatever your preference is,” Czerwony says, “so long as you’re following proper dosing instructions.”

But whether you’re taking sea moss supplements or loading up on other types, it’s worth remembering that you can’t out-supplement a bad diet.

“Sea moss does have potential health benefits, but having a good, varied diet is going to be the most helpful to your body,” Czerwony reinforces. “Don’t depend on supplements. That goes for sea moss and any other supplement you find. Food should always come first.”