Supplements - Kelp (Laminaria - various species)

What Is It?

Kelp is a seaweed or sea vegetable that is naturally rich in many minerals and other nutrients, including Iron, Zinc, Beta Carotene and protein. It has traditionally been used as a tonic because it is so nutritious. In parts of Ireland, Kelp is gathered on the beach and used to make soups, stews and casseroles.

Kelp is particularly high in iodine, a mineral used in the body by the thyroid gland for making thyroid hormones.

Supplementation

Our experts recommend Kelp for the following disorders:

• Cysts (breast)
• Colon Cancer - nutritional support only

Other information

• Kelp is commonly used to correct iodine deficiency which leads to a thyroid condition called goitre or ‘Derbyshire neck’. Mild deficiency causes the metabolism to be sluggish which may encourage weight gain. Some people take Kelp to give their metabolism a boost.
• Some people also used Kelp to improve the condition of their hair, nails and skin. 
• Seaweeds can be bought as a food to be added as a nutritious vegetable.
• Supplements are available in tablets and sometimes powder, though this difficult to obtain. Good supplements will tell you the source of the Kelp, look for products which have been harvested in the purest waters, eg Iceland.

Cautions

• Generally, there are no side effects from using Kelp supplements as long as you stick to the dosage recommendation on the label.
• Kelp contains a certain amount of sodium, so was traditionally avoided by people with high blood pressure, however the amount of Kelp normally taken as a supplement does not really yield enough sodium to pose any real problem.
• If you have thyroid problems, it is advisable to consult your doctor before using supplements that contain iodine, including Kelp.
• When this article was written there were no well-known negative drug interactions with Kelp.