Sea Kelp ?

[Bigsi]

Claim to help thyroid. What are your thoughts ?

[helvella Administrator]

Mostly, it is a way of selling an indeterminate dose of iodine.

It is indeterminate because, in at least most supplements, they don't test the batch for iodine content. They look it up in tables.

Iodine content of kelp can vary hugely. We have no real idea whether it varies tablet to tablet (or capsule), or bottle to bottle, or batch to batch. Kelp in the sea varies depending on many factors including location and time of year.

Maybe sea kelp has other positive properties? I don't know much about that, but the iodine content is the reason they include it.

Companies can claim a "natural" ingredient.

Iodine has always been controversial. But if you don't know how much you are taking, that adds to the issues.