About 10 percent of women in the US face troubles getting pregnant or staying pregnant. Likewise, 9 percent of men in the US struggle with fertility issues.
With fertility issues being so prevalent, the market is choke-full of products that claim to do wonders for your reproductive health overnight.
But, how do you differentiate fact from fiction?
Sea Moss (scientific name Chondrus crispus) is a superfood containing more than 90 essential vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and antioxidants that are crucial for your overall well-being.
Sea Moss is also often hailed for its ability to improve reproductive health in both males and females. But what does science say?
This article will give you an unbiased analysis of the current research about sea moss nutrients and their effects on reproductive health.
Top Three Nutrients That Make Sea Moss a Fertility Superfood
If you are struggling with fertility issues, the first thing you need to look into is your diet. Are you lacking in some of the fundamental nutrients?
Research suggests that key micronutrients might the cause for infertility in as much 50 percent cases of unexplained infertility.
What makes sea moss stand out is its ability to give you a blend of critical nutrients pivotal for improving fertility. These nutrients include iodine, folate, and iron.
Iodine
A study published in the Journal for American Medical Association looked into the association between iodine deficiency and infertility. The results were indeed staggering.
Results suggested that women that are deficient in iodine are 46 percent less likely to get pregnant compared to women who have normal iodine levels.
Iodine is the centerpiece of your thyroid health. The thyroid is a gland in your neck that produces a hormone called thyroxine. Thyroxine controls several major functions in your body that include your metabolism, brain function, bone health, reproductive health, and so on.
When you are pregnant or trying to conceive, your body demands for thyroxine increase exponentially. If you are iodine deficient during that phase, it could significantly alter your thyroid health and your chances of getting pregnant.
The reason sea moss might improve your chances to reproduce is because of its unreal iodine content. Only 10 grams of sea moss can give you more than 80µg iodine, which is more than 50 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for this nutrient.
Folate
If you have conceived before or have known someone who had been pregnant, you would know that the first thing doctors do is prescribe folic acid or folate supplement.
Have you wondered why they do that?
There are several reasons for it. Years of research have proven a strong link between folate deficiency among women and high prevalence of birth defects (specifically defects involving the brain and spinal cord) in their babies.
Recent research suggests that folate directly improves your chances of pregnancy as well.
In one research, scientists noted the effects of supplementation of a multi-nutrient supplement (with high folate contents) on the chances of pregnancy. They noticed that women who used these supplements took a shorter period to conceive. The number of confirmed pregnancies among the users improved by as much as 64.6 percent.
Sea moss is rich in this fertility-boosting nutrient too. You get 182µg (almost 50 percent of RDA for folate) from 100 grams of sea moss.
Iron
Iron is another nutrient needed for several body functions. One of them is the production of red blood cells.
Your red blood cells carry oxygen through your body. Iron is the prime nutrient in your red cells that binds with oxygen. If you are deficient in iron, you develop a condition called anemia that dramatically alters your body functions.
If your body cells don’t get the oxygen they need, they don’t function properly. A staggering 7.8 million women in the US are iron deficient. You are more likely to get pregnant if you supplement your diet with iron, as suggested by research.
Sea moss is a real wonder food when it comes to iron. You get as much as 9 mg iron from 100 grams of sea moss. It equates to almost 70 percent of your daily iron intake.
Is Sea Moss the One-Stop Solution to All Your Fertility Issues?
There are several considerations that you should keep in mind.
# 1: Infertility is often a complex issue
Nutritional deficiencies are just one of the many reasons why you might be struggling with fertility. More than often, fertility is a complex issue with problems ingrained in your diet, lifestyle, and bodily health.
While taking a sea moss supplement will improve your reproductive health, it is not a one-stop solution.
# 2: Sea Moss is an adjuvant, not an alternative
What you need to understand is that sea moss is an adjuvant that you need to take in addition to having a healthy diet and active lifestyle.
You can’t use it as a substitute for healthy living.
# 3: Always seek advice from a medical professional
As mentioned, fertility is often a multifactorial issue. While it is always worthwhile doing some detective work on your own, you should not solely rely on that.
You should always seek medical advice from trained professionals regarding all your health-related issues. You should seek medical advice before using any supplement.
Final Verdict
Without a doubt, sea moss is an amazing superfood that is loaded with essential nutrients, which include vitamins and minerals.
As far as fertility goes, taking a sea moss supplement is likely to improve your reproductive health. However, you should not consider it a one-stop solution to your fertility issues.
Use it as an adjuvant to a healthy diet, active lifestyle, and medical advice.
