9 Impressive Benefits of Sea Moss (You Won't Believe Number 8)
Sea moss is a spiny sea plant that’s been used by many people for decades. The most common color of sea moss is red, but we can also find it in green, brown, yellow, purple, and black.
Like many other plants, sea moss is connected to various health benefits. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of nine impressive benefits of sea moss. Let’s dive in.
1. Supports Thyroid Health
Thyroid health is essential for our well-being, metabolism, energy levels, and much more. Hypothyroidism, a condition characterized by an underactive thyroid, often leads to (1):
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Feeling cold
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle aches
- Thinning hair
- Depression
- Impaired memory
Consuming enough iodine (an essential mineral) is vital for stimulating optimal thyroid function and preventing health issues (2). The good news is that sea moss is rich in iodine, which supports thyroid health and reduces the risk of T3 and T4 (thyroid hormones) deficiency.
2. Improves Libido
Libido issues are more common today than they ever were. To make matters worse, many young people today suffer from fertility issues. According to some research, more than one in ten women between the ages of 15 and 44 has problems with getting and staying pregnant (3). Researchers often speculate that there is a link between the two.
According to some claims, sea moss consumption can offer a slight testosterone boost in men, improve their libido, and boost their sperm count. Sea moss is also claimed to help women thanks to its rich nutritional profile.
While we certainly need more research in the area, preliminary findings have been promising.
3. Contains All 102 Minerals
The human body is an incredibly complex collection of organs, systems, and other tissues. Each day, the body carries out thousands of processes that keep us alive, healthy, and feeling well. Thanks to the incredible complexity of the human organism, we are capable of living for many years, adapting to all sorts of stressors, recovering from illnesses, and much more.
The only thing worth noting is that, for the human body to operate at peak efficiency, it needs the proper nutrients (4). We have to consume an adequate amount of protein, carbs, fiber, fats, and vitamins (5, 6, 7, 8). But, we also have to get enough of each mineral because these nutrients carry out important functions necessary for life.
Luckily for us, sea moss is a rich source of all 102 minerals, including the 15 essential ones. Consuming sea moss prevents us from ever being deficient in any mineral.
4. Improves Skin Health and Elasticity
Sea moss offers impressive benefits related to skin health. For one, thanks to its rich nutritional profile, the sea plant can soothe inflammation and reduce the risk of skin conditions, such as eczema. Similarly, sea moss offers copper, selenium, and zinc, which play numerous vital roles in skin health and elasticity.
Aside from that, sea moss is also rich in sulfur, which means the plant possesses potent antiviral and antibacterial properties. As a result, sea moss might benefit people with oily skin prone to acne.
5. Improves Blood Flow and Circulation
Good circulation is essential for our health, endurance, energy levels, cognition, and longevity (9). Restricted blood flow can occur for many reasons and lead to:
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Weakness
- Pale skin
- Cardiovascular disease
According to some claims, sea moss can improve blood flow in the body by means of vasodilation. Meaning, the sea plant contains compounds that promote the widening of blood vessels, normalizing blood pressure, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and promoting well-being.
6. Boosts Energy Levels
Sea moss might improve energy levels on three fronts. First, as we saw in the previous point, sea moss can improve blood flow, boosting our endurance and sense of well-being.
Second, sea moss is abundant in many essential nutrients that allow the body to operate at peak efficiency. For example, the sea plant offers iron, magnesium, and zinc, which contribute to numerous processes (10, 11).
Third, sea moss is abundant in iodine, which promotes thyroid help, reducing the risk of brain fog, fatigue, and muscle weakness (2).
7. Improves Gut Health
Despite what many people believe, gut health is at the center of our longevity and well-being. The gut is connected to the brain, cardiovascular system, and more (12). Poor gut health is linked to:
The good news is that sea moss is rich in a polysaccharide called mucilage. The sticky substance is linked to improved gut function, leading to robust immune system function. Some experts also suggest that mucilage can soothe the gut lining, preventing substances from entering the bloodstream and promoting inflammation.
8. It Promotes Weight Loss
Sea moss is touted as a weight loss aid for a few reasons. First, the sea plant appears to regulate our appetite, reducing the risk of overfeeding. The plant leads to long-lasting satiety thanks to carrageenan, one of sea moss’ primary active compounds.
Second, carrageenan might aid with fat loss. The compound has led to marked fat loss in some experiments thanks to mechanisms like:
- Promoting breakdown of brown fat
- Preventing the formation of new fat cells
- Reducing dietary fat absorption
One human study on obese subjects found that those who took 1,000 mg of sea moss daily lost significantly more body weight than a control group (16).
9. It Eliminates Mucus From The Body
Many people are surprised to learn that sea moss develops a thick and sticky consistency inside the body. Thanks to that, the sea plant can soothe mucus membranes in the body, allowing your body to flush out mucus.
For example, sea moss can reduce congestion and help the body clear phlegm that can build up in the lungs and impair breathing.
One proposed mechanism for these sea moss effects appears to be that it contains nutrients that can dissolve mucus. For example, sea moss is rich in chlorophyll and potassium chloride, which can dissolve mucus, act as decongestants, and soothe the bronchial tree.