Seaweed Supplements Review

Are There any Benefits to using Seaweed Supplements?

For most people, their experience with seaweed probably involves kicking it off their feet when they are swimming at the beach. However, believe it or not, seaweed may actually be beneficial to your health. Some even refer to seaweed as a “green superfood.”

As more research has been conducted involving research, the use of seaweed supplements has risen exponentially. Seaweed Supplements are actually fairly common and may have a host of benefits in your health. Let’s explore the benefits of seaweed supplements.

What Is Seaweed?

Seaweed is actually a member of the algae family and edible seaweed comes in three forms: brown, green, and red. Most people commonly eat brown seaweed (in the form of kelp) or red seaweed, which is wrapped around sushi.

Due to its’ relatively small serving size, seaweed isn’t a realistic source of many nutrients and often times its’ benefits are exaggerated. Still, seaweed contains vitamin A and vitamin C, as well as calcium – a nutrient that many Americans lack.

Seaweed is also rich in a nutrient that is missing in almost every other food commonly eaten – iodine. Iodine is essential to the human body and helps maintain a healthy thyroid, which controls your metabolism, cholesterol levels, and energy levels.

Health Benefits of Seaweed

Seaweed is said to have well over a dozen benefits, although little conclusive research has been conducted. Still, here are some of the potential benefits of seaweed:

— Weight Loss: Research suggests that fucoxanthin, an antioxidant found in wakame, may help support weight loss. In rodent studies, rats given fucoxanthin had higher levels of a protein involved in fat metabolism. Researchers also suggested that the iodine content in seaweed could help improve thyroid function, which would naturally help to increase an individual’s metabolism.

— Arthritis Relief: Preliminary data suggests that the antioxidants found in seaweed may help reduce inflammation in the joints that often cause arthritis pain. Some elderly adults given seaweed also improved their joint mobility as well and were able to move more freely without pain.

— Osteoporosis Prevention: As mentioned before, seaweed is rich in calcium, which is an essential nutrient for bone health. Although it has not been studied exclusively, some elderly adults have seen an increase in bone density when taking seaweed supplements in addition to normal treatment methods.

— Cancer Prevention: New research indicates that seaweed can also help to regulate estrogen and estradiol levels, which are two hormones responsible for development and sexual organs. This may help reduce the risk for certain diseases such as breast cancer. It may also help to control PMS and improve fertility as well.

Other studies are looking into the possibility of using seaweed to treat asthma, depression, celiac disease, and thyroid problems. These studies have not been published yet so it may be a while before we know about the true power of seaweed.

Side Effects of Seaweed Supplements

While seaweed supplements may have plenty of benefits, there are some concerns of side effects. Although the FDA oversees strict quality guidelines over seaweed, there still may be the risk for arsenic contamination.

It’s in your best interest to inspect any brand of seaweed supplements to make sure you are buying pure seaweed extract that has been tested and cleared or arsenic. If the product has been ruled arsenic-free, then there you can feel comfortable about buying a seaweed supplement.

Seaweed Supplements: Should You Try One?

Seaweed is the hottest thing in the health world right now and you’ve probably already heard it called kale. While the true health benefits have not been discovered, seaweed supplements have a plethora of nutrients and potential positive impacts on your health. Plus, seaweed supplements are safe, affordable, and readily available.

Whether you’re looking to benefit from the nutrients in seaweed or its’ antioxidant effects, seaweed can definitely improve your health and is something definitely worth considering.