Sea moss

[Lyn24]

Can breastfeeding moms take sea moss daily?

[nicholec]

Sea moss is probably safe to use while breastfeeding in small amounts.

Because sea moss contains a large amount of iodine, using it daily as a supplement could cause you to exceed the tolerable upper intake level (UL). The use of excessive amounts of iodine in the mother near term and during breastfeeding can increase breastmilk iodine levels and cause transient hypothyroidism in breastfed infants. Iodine is safe in amounts that do not exceed the UL of 1100 mcg daily in adults older than 18 or 900 mcg daily in those 14-18 years of age. Sea moss products can differ, but the average content of iodine seems to be about 4-7 mcg per gram of sea moss. You also need to consider any prenatal vitamins or natural sources of iodine that you are consuming as it will all count in the UL calculation. Please refer to your product nutritional information to calculate how much you are consuming.

Nichole Campbell, APRN, NP-C

References:

Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.

Censi S, Watutantrige-Fernando S, Groccia G, et al. The Effects of Iodine Supplementation in Pregnancy on Iodine Status, Thyroglobulin Levels and Thyroid Function Parameters: Results from a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial in a Mild-to-Moderate Iodine Deficiency Area. Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2639.