Key takeaways
Sea moss supplements contain nutrients like iodine, fiber, and calcium. You may notice improved digestion and energy levels as soon as one week after you start taking it.
There’s a lot we still don’t know about the effect of sea moss on weight management and other functions, like heart health, but it’s safe to assume these changes take much longer to take effect.
How much water you drink and what type of sea moss you purchase may impact how fast your body absorbs nutrients.
It’s important to consult with a healthcare provider before taking sea moss because it poses a risk of heavy metal ingestion (especially for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women) and may also cause your iodine levels to become dangerously high, particularly if you already have thyroid dysfunction.
If you’re following the latest supplement trends, you might have heard that Irish sea moss, a specific type of seaweed belonging to the red algae family, contains several important nutrients like iodine and calcium. Irish moss, or Chondrus crispus, is harvested from the Atlantic Ocean and then converted into supplement form as a liquid extract, capsule, gummy, powder, or even a gel. Adding it to your diet may improve some aspects of your health. Research is still being conducted, but some people think sea moss can support your skin health, immune system, and digestive health.
In general, sea moss is absorbed fairly quickly by the body. You may start seeing benefits to your digestion and energy levels about one week after you begin taking it, says Kimberley Wiemann, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian and owner of Kimberley Wiemann Nutrition LLC. However, some long-term health benefits require more patience. Here’s what to expect after you begin taking sea moss.
How long does it take for sea moss to start working in your body?
Nutrient-rich sea moss is usually absorbed within a few hours after you consume it, according to Inna Melamed, Pharm.D., functional medicine practitioner and author of Digestive Reset. However, some things can affect the rate of absorption, like the form you take (i.e., sea moss gel or sea moss powder) and your body’s digestion.
As Wiemann noted, some positive changes to your body may start happening within a week of beginning sea moss, like better digestion and more energy, especially if you were deficient in iodine before you began taking it. However, if you’re using sea moss for improvements like weight loss and better heart health, those won’t be quick fixes. “People looking to lose weight should not expect sea moss to provide quick and dramatic results,” Wiemann says. “Changes in those areas naturally take a longer time.”
It’s also not definitive that sea moss can affect those changes, either. A 2020 review of studies suggests that red algae supplementation may be an effective way to reduce body fat over time. Still, so far, most studies have been performed on rodents and have not specifically studied Chondrus crispus. One 2019 study, for example, found that adults with obesity or who were overweight lost body weight and body fat mass after 12 weeks of supplementation with a type of red algae called Gelidium elegans, but only 78 adults were included in the study.
If you’re just starting out taking sea moss, be patient and consistent with your supplementation, says Dr. Melamed. Some research suggests there are cumulative effects of sea moss, so the longer you take it, the more effective it may become.
How do you know when sea moss is working?
If you were deficient in any of the nutrients found in sea moss before you started supplementing with it, you may be able to tell when your sea moss supplement is working. For many people, improvements in digestive health are the first noticeable changes.
“Sea moss contains fiber, which promotes healthy gut functioning, and it’s also a form of prebiotics, which help to feed the healthy bacteria in the gut,” Wiemann says. This combination of added fiber and prebiotics can promote healthy gut flora and more regular bowel movements, which can improve symptoms of constipation.
Another noticeable sign early on may be an increase in energy, especially if you have thyroid problems. Because iodine levels are closely linked to thyroid function, replenishing your iodine levels with sea moss (especially in those who are deficient) can improve your energy and leave you feeling less fatigued. If you have a thyroid condition, consult your healthcare provider before using sea moss.
However, if you’re concerned about your iodine levels and are considering taking sea moss to increase them, it’s important to work with a healthcare professional to monitor your iodine and determine the right level for you. Consuming too much iodine can cause acute symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and oral discomfort, as well as more serious problems like thyroid dysfunction.
RELATED: 7 benefits of sea moss for women
Factors that affect sea moss efficacy
There are a few things that might make sea moss work better for you.
- Formulation: Sea moss comes in different forms, including gels, powders, and capsules. Each one may be absorbed differently by the body. For example, gels might offer more bioavailable nutrients, while powders are more convenient for blending into smoothies. However, Wiemann says there isn’t enough research yet to know if some forms are more effective than others.
- How you take it: Dr. Melamed says it doesn’t matter whether you take sea moss in the morning or at night, but you should take it with food. It contains soluble fiber, which is better digested if you consume it as part of a meal.
- Supplement quality: Wild sea moss is generally considered more nutritious than farmed varieties, says Dr. Melamed. Additionally, sea moss products that are minimally processed typically provide more benefits than highly processed ones. It’s also important to purchase sea moss from reputable sources and ensure it’s been third-party tested, says Wiemann. Sea moss carries a risk of side effects or may contain high levels of heavy metals depending on where it has been sourced from, so choose your supplement carefully.
- Your hydration: According to Dr. Melamed, drinking enough water when taking supplements like sea moss is important as it affects how well your body absorbs the nutrients. It’s always recommended to take supplements containing soluble fiber with at least eight ounces of water.
- Your overall health: Anyone with a poor diet or poor gut health may have difficulty absorbing sea moss, says Dr. Melamed. Make sure you’re eating plenty of other nutrient-dense foods and managing existing digestive system conditions (like inflammatory bowel syndrome) that could affect how well your gut takes in nutrients.
How does your body use sea moss?
Sea moss is chock full of plant-based compounds that give it its many potential benefits. It contains antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E, prebiotics, and minerals like folate, calcium, and iodine, says Wiemann. As your body absorbs these compounds, different systems use them to improve your overall well-being.
Your thyroid gland, for example, uses iodine to produce the thyroid hormones that help regulate key body functions like metabolism; your gut, meanwhile, uses the high fiber content found in sea moss to regulate your bowel movements and keep you feeling fuller for longer, which may impact your weight over a longer period.
That said, it’s important to remember that supplements like sea moss should only be added to your diet after consultation with a healthcare provider, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking certain medications, or if you have any type of thyroid dysfunction.
RELATED: 6 sea moss benefits for men
The bottom line
Sea moss is generally absorbed quickly by the body, and you might see improvements to your digestion and energy levels in the first seven days after starting supplementation. However, other health benefits of sea moss, like weight loss, may take months of consistent use. Research on sea moss supplementation is still being developed. Still, as with all dietary supplements, you should try to drink plenty of water, eat a balanced diet, and choose a high-quality product to maximize nutrient absorption while taking sea moss—and be sure to check with a healthcare provider to make sure the supplement is safe for you.
Sources
- Sea moss, Ohio Department of Agriculture: Division of Food Safety (2021)
- Anti-obesity effects of macroalgae, Nutrients (2020)
- Effects of Gelidium elegans on weight and fat mass reduction and obesity biomarkers in overweight or obese adults: A randomized double-blinded study, Nutrients (2019)
- The relationship between Type 2 diabetes mellitus and related thyroid diseases, Cureus (2021)
- Iodine deficiency, Cleveland Clinic (2022)
- Iodine, National Institutes of Health (2024)
- Risks and benefits of consuming edible seaweeds, Nutrition Reviews (2019)
- Fiber, Mount Sinai (n.d.)
- Association between irritable bowel syndrome and micronutrients: A systematic review, Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2022)