August 08, 2021

4 Important Things to Keep in Mind While Consuming Sea Moss

Most of us would agree that sea moss is a wonderful supplement that’s helping millions. With that said, there might be a few downsides of the sea vegetables as well. This article will highlight everything that you need to know regarding the side effects that you must watch out for.

While sea moss is healthy, some people find it somewhat 'disturbing'

For example, sea moss intake might cause a slight fever. Similarly, consuming it can also cause diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. So if you're one of those few who are moss intolerant, you can always find other substitutes (supplements) that can help you with a lot of things.

You may experience a burning sensation

Some people report burning feelings in the stomach, throat, and mouth while or after consuming sea moss. However, there is nothing to worry about because sea moss is neither toxic nor unhealthy. It does not cause ulceration that usually leads to acidity and burning sensation. Sea moss does not have any toxicological effect. You may just experience soft stool or diarrhea because the moss is not completely absorbed from your intestines.

Sea moss contains iodine that doesn’t suit people with thyroid issues

High levels of iodine intake may have negative effects on people with thyroid cancer or hypothyroidism. Iodine can interfere with other medications such as anti-thyroid medicines methimazole (Tapazole®) used for hyperthyroidism or hypertension medicines such as ACE inhibitors. Taking iodine with these medications can affect the normal thyroid secretion in the body as well as increase potassium levels to the level where it can cause heart failure or paralysis.

In other simple words, sea moss isn't the most ideal thing for absolutely every single person on the planet. If you think it doesn't suit you or causes problems for you, make sure to talk to your doctor about it and make sure that he/she is aware that you are or have been consuming it.

Another thing to know about sea moss is that it acts as a natural blood thinner

This means if you are already taking some blood-thinning medicines, you should avoid sea moss or at least talk to your doctor before continuing to use it.

There's more to it. Sea moss also contains negligible amounts of metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic. Research shows this amount is too little to cause any damage or harm and sea moss is overall safe but it might not be helpful for some people who have certain medical conditions or who simply have weak immune systems.

Bottom line

There's no doubt that sea moss is amazing that most of us can add to our daily lives [check collection here] and benefit from but at the same time, it might not suit certain people. Of course, more research is needed on the topic so that we all are well aware of the situation.

References

Weiner, M. Food additive carrageenan: Part II: A critical review of carrageenan in vivo safety studies. Crit Rev Toxicol. 2014 Mar;44(3):244-69. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24467586/

Iodine - Fact Sheet for Consumers. National Institutes of Health. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-Consumer/#h8

Circuncisao, A., Catarino, M., Cardoso, S, & Silva, A. Minerals from Macroalgae Origin: Health Benefits and Risks for Consumers. Mar Drugs. 2018 Nov; 16(11): 400. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266857/