Kelp is edible seaweed. Do not take kelp to help your thyroid unless it is recommended by your physician. Doses of kelp can cause problems in a healthy thyroid gland and exacerbate problems in a dysfunctional thyroid gland. The idea behind taking kelp to help your thyroid gland is that kelp has rich iodine content. However, kelp supplements contain varying amounts of iodine, making them unreliable as a source of iodine, according to information from the Langone Medical Center.
Kelp and Iodine
The recommended daily intake for iodine is 150 mcg per day for people 4 and older. Your thyroid gland requires iodine for proper hormone production. Without a sufficient amount of iodine in your diet, or too much iodine in your diet, your thyroid gland cannot produce the hormones your body needs. As for how much kelp you should take to help your thyroid, according to research from the University Hospital of Tübingen in Germany published in the June 2006 issue of the “Journal of General Internal Medicine,” people should “avoid all complementary or alternative medications containing iodine,” including kelp products.
Traditional Medicine
For thousands of years people used seaweed as a traditional medicinal remedy, according to Cancer.org. Kelp was discovered as a source of iodine in the 1700s and used at that time to treat goiter – an enlarged thyroid gland – caused by the lack of iodine in the food supply at that time. Paradoxically, ingesting too much iodine from kelp supplements or other sources can cause a goiter. The marketing of kelp supplements for thyroid and other problems began in the 1800s.
Hypothyroidism
A diagnosis of hypothyroidism means you have an underactive thyroid gland that does not produce enough hormones for your body to function normally. An iodine deficiency can cause hypothyroidism, but this is rare in the United States, where foods like salt are fortified with idodine. Kelp is rich in iodine. However, Dr. Todd B.Nippoldt from the Mayo Clinic says that taking kelp or other iodine supplements does not benefit your thyroid condition if iodine deficiency is not the cause of your hypothyroidism.
Misconception
It is a common misconception that kelp supplements help to relieve symptoms of all kinds of thyroid problems, according to the Langone Medical Center. It warns that this misconception can be dangerous, and that taking kelp supplements may, in fact, cause rather than solve thyroid problems. Avoid taking kelp supplements unless it is recommended by your physician for a dysfunctional or healthy thyroid.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Hypothyroidism: Should I Take Iodine Supplements?; Todd B. Nippoldt; April 2010
- Langone Medical Center; Kelp; August 2011
- Cancer.org; Sea Vegetables; November 2008
- Journal of General Internal Medicine; Iodine-Induced Thyrotoxicosis After Ingestion of Kelp-Containing Tea; Karsten Müssig, et al.; June 2006
