Kelp is an iodine-rich seaweed commonly marketed for thyroid health. Your thyroid -- an endocrine gland located at the front of your neck, produces two primary thyroid hormones. These hormones control how your body uses energy. Your thyroid uses the mineral iodine and the amino acid tyrosine to produce its hormones. Excess iodine from kelp does have the capacity to cause thyroid issues. Consult your doctor before taking kelp.
Endocrine Significance
Your endocrine system is a complex hormonal communication network that works to maintain hormonal balance. Too little or too much of any hormone can have adverse health effects. Your endocrine glands work together in a feedback communication system. They produce hormones and relay information about hormone levels. If high levels of a particular hormone are detected in the blood, your pituitary gland -- a small gland in your brain -- will signal that gland to produce less hormone.
Dose
Your thyroid requires 150 mg of iodine daily in order to produce its hormones. At this time, scientific data to recommend a safe kelp dose for thyroid health is lacking, according to MedlinePlus. Further, your endocrine system can signal your thyroid to produce less thyroid hormone in the presence of excess iodine. This is to prevent hyperthyroidism -- overproduction of thyroid hormones. Individual physiological factors determine how much excess iodine your thyroid can handle.
Hyperthyroidism From Kelp Supplement
Hyperthyroidism is also known as thyrotoxicosis. Symptoms include rapid heart beat, irritability, frequent bowel movements and hair loss. The June 2006 issue of the "Journal of General Internal Medicine" reports a case of a kelp-containing tea causing iodine-induced hyperthyroidism in a 39-year-old woman taking it for thyroid health. The kelp amount estimated in this case is 580 to 990 micrograms daily for four weeks. After tea cessation and anti-thyroid hormone medication, the patient's thyroid levels normalized.
Kelp Safety
All herbs have the capacity to cause side effects. Iodine in excess of the recommended dietary intake of 150 mg daily may place your thyroid health at risk. Excess iodine from kelp or any other source can both block thyroid production, causing hypothyroidism, or increase production, causing hyperthyroidism. The iodine in kelp may also interact with other drugs, including the blood thinner warfarin and the drug lithium. Take kelp for thyroid health only after discussing it with your doctor.
