Seagreens May Prevent Iodine Deficiency

BLAUVELT, N.Y.—Seagreens, an organic wild-harvested form of kelp with high iodine levels, can help people who are iodine insufficient. (http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9298286&fileId=S0007114514001573)

Seagreens, manufactured by the company Seagreens, exclusive partner of RFI, is a natural whole-food ingredient species of Ascophyllum nodosum from Scotland. The ingredient has iodine levels typically around 700 μg/g, which may aid the U.S. population whose dietary intake of iodine has dropped by more than 50 percent over the last 40 years, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. The drop can be attributed to many factors, including iodine being removed from many store-bought baked goods, recommendations for reduced salt and egg intake, and the increasing use of non-iodized salt.

The study compared the bioavailability and effects of two-week supplementation of naturally occurring iodide in Seagreens to potassium iodide, an artificial source of iodine, in healthy women of childbearing age who were not pregnant. The participants were given either one capsule (500 mg) of Seagreens, or an equal amount of potassium iodide.

The results showed that the iodine intake from seaweed can be considered as safe as potassium iodide because of the delayed release from the seaweed, so there is a smaller spike of iodine in the body and it stays much longer.