Sea kelp tablets are a type of dietary supplement that may contain one or several types of brownish-green seaweed. Nutritional supplements made from sea kelp, also called seaweed or sea algae, may include seaweeds from the Fucus genus or the Laminaria genus of algae, such as bladderwrack or rockweed. While sea kelp tablets provide iodine, an important nutrient for health, they may cause thyroid problems and other health problems. Talk to your doctor before taking sea kelp tablets.
Nutrients
Seaweed is a rich dietary source of iodine, an essential mineral that is necessary for thyroid hormone activities, and some people thus take sea kelp tablets to get extra iodine in their diet. Sea kelp retailers also claim that sea kelp tablets are rich in other essential minerals, including calcium, potassium, iron and magnesium, while also providing a natural source of vitamins such as vitamin A, B-1, B-2, C, D and E. Brown algaes used in sea kelp supplement preparations, such as bladderwrack, also contain a substance called algin, which may produce a laxative effect.
Uses
Sea kelp is used to treat a number of health conditions; however, there isn't enough evidence to determine whether sea kelp tablets are a safe or effective treatment for any disease. Due to their high iodine content, sea kelp tablets are commonly used as a means to prevent or treat iodine deficiency, or as an alternative medicine to treat thyroid disorders, such as hyperthyroidism or goiters. As iodine can be used to protect the thyroid gland from environmental radiation, some people may also take sea kelp tablets for this purpose. Other common, but un-tested, medicinal uses of sea kelp tablets include weight loss, diabetes, constipation and joint pain. You should not attempt to self-treat a health condition by taking sea kelp tablets.
Safety
According to MedlinePlus, taking bladderwrack sea kelp tablets or other supplements made from sea plants is potentially unsafe. While sea algae provides iodine, iodine levels in sea kelp tablets may vary greatly from one product to the next. Sea kelp tablets may contain excessively high levels of iodine that could cause thyroid problems or make existing thyroid problems worse. High levels of iodine may be especially harmful to thyroid health if taken for prolonged periods of time. Furthermore, medicines made from sea plants including sea kelp may contain toxic heavy metals such as arsenic. Besides thyroid problems, sea kelp supplements may also cause other serious side effects. Bladderwrack in particular is associated with infertility in women, allergic reactions, and bleeding during and after surgery, according to MedlinePlus.
Considerations
While taking sea kelp tablets is potentially unsafe, the types and amounts of edible seaweeds used in foods such as sushi are probably safe, according to Harvard University environmental health professor Helen Suh MacIntosh. However, one type of edible seaweed called hijiki is considered unsafe due to possible arsenic contamination and should be avoided. In regard to the use of sea kelp tablets to protect the thyroid gland from environmental radiation such as nuclear radiation, it is far safer to use FDA-approved potassium iodide tablets, which include products such as ThyroShield and Iosat. These products should only be used in a radiation emergency, however.
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