Sea moss is a whole-food supplement that offers unusually diverse nutrients and potential health benefits.
While it’s more than capable of benefiting both sexes, some of its health benefits seem particularly geared towards women.
Let’s take a closer look at sea moss and why it’s been all the rage recently.
What is Sea Moss?
Sea moss is a natural sea plant that grows throughout the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Also known as Irish sea moss or purple sea moss, the plant’s impressive nutrient density gives it uniquely medicinal properties.
Native people groups have been using sea moss for centuries; in recent times, sea moss has become a super popular supplement.
A cursory search and you’ll see sea moss being marketed via powders, gels, tinctures, and even gummy candies. (The latter product’s format aims to mask sea moss’s naturally salty taste.)
Sea moss’s nutritional value becomes evident the moment you look at its nutrient profile.
A single serving of sea moss contains many of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to reach optimal performance.
It’s simultaneously low in fat, sugar, and total calories.
(Source)
- 10 calories
- ½ gram protein
- 0 grams fat
- 3 grams carbs
- ½ gram fiber
- 0 grams sugar
- 10% of your RDV for iron
- 7% of your RDV for magnesium
- 4% of your RDV for zinc
- 3% of your RDV for copper
- 125% of your RDV for iodine
And sea moss is even more nutrient-dense than its vitamin/mineral content implies. That’s because, in addition to all of the above, sea moss is simply loaded with antioxidants.(Source)
Sea Moss: Top Female-Centric Benefits
Call it a coincidence, a result of evolution, or an act of God…but sea moss’s unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants seems uniquely beneficial for women. That’s largely because this blend directly boosts thyroid health, which is often a problem point for the female gender.
Keep reading for the in-depth list of sea moss’s top benefits for women.
- Improved fertility
- Faster metabolism
- Balanced hormones
- Better skin
Improved Fertility
One of sea moss’s most exciting qualities is its ability to improve fertility. At first glance, this might sound almost too good to be true.
Until one stops considering that fertility is intimately tied to thyroid health, at least — the same thyroid health that sea moss improves. You can thank its richness in iodine and selenium for that!
Faster Metabolism
Better thyroid health leads to other benefits, too.
The thyroid gland controls menstrual cycles, various hormones, heart health, digestion, and brain development. This list is just the start…but let’s focus on metabolism for now.
A healthier thyroid can improve your metabolism by burning more fuel and putting said fuel to better use. This may result in weight loss and/or improved body composition.
There are virtually no downsides to improving your metabolic rate. Perhaps it’s not surprising that many long-time sea moss users say they’ve slimmed down.
Related: Sea moss and menstruation
Balanced Hormones
Sea moss’s richness in potassium and magnesium makes it a natural mood enhancer.
These nutrients also act as catalysts for synthesizing various feel-good hormones Studies show that magnesium may boost the brain’s levels of GABA and other anti-stress neurotransmitters.(Source)
That means less time feeling irritable and more time at your cognitive best!
Better Skin
Wrinkles are almost certainly a part of getting older…but they don’t have to happen prematurely.
Sea moss contains many nutrients needed to prevent and/or reverse wrinkles.
Its high vitamin C content may stimulate your body to produce more collagen, resulting in smoother, better-hydrated skin.
Sea moss may also help your body regulate calcium metabolism more accurately, a trait that also benefits the skin. The Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre attests that sea moss has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-aging properties.
Sea moss’s antimicrobial properties might also make it a useful ally for those with acne. A month of topical sea moss use is enough for many acne-sufferers to notice tangible improvement.
Last but not least, sea moss may improve scalp and hair health.
Experiencing these benefits is as simple as applying sea moss gel to the scalp and letting it sit for about half an hour each day.
A well-rounded sea moss skincare plan might feature regular ingestion of sea moss powder and the occasional application of sea moss gel masks.
Does Sea Moss Have Side Effects?
Sea moss is a safe, effective natural product.
But even natural products can have side effects and see moss is no exception. The biggest potential downside is excess iodine.
Depending on when, where, and how it’s grown, different varieties of sea moss may have large variations in their levels of iodine and other nutrients. Ingesting too much iodine may cause temporary hyperthyroidism.
In turn, this can lead to temporary:
- Fever
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Irritability
- Restlessness
Cease your use of sea moss immediately if you experience any of the above signs and symptoms.
But don’t panic — they’ll fade away quickly as your body metabolizes any excess iodine.
Sea moss also has a minor practical downside. Some people simply can’t get around its characteristic salty taste.
Sea Moss For Women: Summing Things Up
Sea moss is one of the natural kingdom’s best natural multivitamins.
This one, however, seems especially well-suited to women (though men can definitely benefit from it, too!).
This is largely due to sea moss’s impressive iodine content, which can boost women’s thyroid hormone levels and regulate a wide variety of related hormones.
Just be sure to opt for a quality product from a reputable brand.
We hope sea moss provides everything you’re looking for in a whole-foods supplement — and more!
Thanks for the article, Is there a brand you recommend?
Thanks Amy.
We are producing a list of recommended Sea Moss supplements. In the meantime, you can check out either Viva Nutra Sea Moss and Infinite Age Sea moss. Both have a decent amount in each serving, although the Viva Nutra one is of higher strength.
Adam