Sea Moss Gel's Billion-Dollar Deception

When I started researching sea moss gel supplements, I thought it’s yet another wellness trend that, while overhyped, at least had some scientific merit. What I discovered instead was mind-blowing: and I'm still trying to process what I found. You know that moment when you pull a thread on a sweater and the whole thing starts unraveling? That's what happened here.

^{Disclaimer: I discovered this trend using Exploding topics (I am an affiliate and a long-time fan of this tool), which has become my go-to resource for uncovering under-the-radar opportunities. While the tool doesn’t provide the research that comes with my newsletter, if you're into finding even more trends in all the fields, this tool is definitely worth a look.} 

Table of Contents

• Current state and health claims

• Sea Moss Gel: Real benefits and drawbacks

• How to navigate this trend and why should you care …

Current state and health claims

Let's start with some numbers, because they matter. The global sea moss market hit $2.58 billion in 2023. Search "sea moss gel" on Amazon and you'll find 670 products. Some sellers move 10,000 jars monthly. Pretty impressive for something most people hadn't heard of two years ago.

But here's what stopped me cold: I started checking the companies behind these products. True Sea Moss, sitting pretty at the top of Amazon's results, claims to be a California wellness company with four years of experience, selling “natural superfood from the Ocean, that provides over 90% of the essential vitamins & minerals the human body needs daily. So I did what any journalist would do — I checked their team. Instead of California wellness experts, I found a group of employees based in Poland and Belarus. None of them has ever worked in supplements or food science. And this is the brand they sell at Sprout’s? Why? How? 

MAX FIT wasn't any better. They talk about their "partnerships with Saint Lucia diving companies" but can't name a single one. According to their LinkedIn profiles, their entire visible team consists of two people: a graphic designer from Ukraine and a marketing specialist from Nigeria. That's all I found. These are the people selling you “healthy” supplements that go into your body.

And EverSmith Sea Moss? Well, that's an interesting one. They got an 'A' rating for authentic reviews, but Amazon removed 9,571 reviews from their listings (out of 9,973).

Their website proudly displays a banner claiming they're the "1st Ever FDA-Registered Fruit Flavored Sea Moss Gels (2020)." But check their Amazon listing, and you'll find this disclaimer: "Statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition."

So which is it? The founders, whose expertise comes from flipping houses and mixing drinks, don't clarify. Not exactly the background you'd expect for people selling FDA-registered health supplements — if that claim is even true.

Here's something that really got me: The nutrition labels also don't even add up. MAX FIT brand lists 6 grams of carbs — that's 24 calories right there — but claims the serving size is only 10 calories total. 

Same goes for EverSmith Sea Moss, listed nutritional value is also inaccurate:  (though less than MAX FIT’s) — they claim it’s 20 calories and 6 grams of carbs (which is actualy 24 calories). It's like they didn't even try to make the math work. And well, at the momen of writing True Sea Moss didn’t even bother to list nutritional information on their listing at all. 

All of this would be just another story about questionable marketing if it weren't for the health risks. A 2024 case study in Science Direct reported a woman developing severe hyperthyroidism from taking sea moss gel. She ended up needing surgery. And that's the only paper referencing sea moss gel on Science Direct. 

Sea Moss Gel: Real benefits and drawbacks

Before diving into what sea moss gel supposedly does, let's talk about what it actually is. Sea moss (Irish moss) is a type of red seaweed called Chondrus crispus. And here's the key part that none of these supplement companies mention: its main constituent is carrageenan, a substance used in everything from leather curing to shoe polish manufacturing.

Yes, you read that right. That "all-natural miracle supplement" is basically carrageenan gel. And suddenly, the lack of solid research on "sea moss gel" makes perfect sense — because scientists have been studying carrageenan for decades, just not as a wellness supplement.

So what does science actually say? Well, it's not pretty.

A November 2024 study from the Deutsches Zentrum fuer Diabetesforschung DZD found that carrageenan can disrupt the intestinal barrier and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. The researchers discovered increased permeability of the small intestine, likely due to inflammation.

But wait, there's more. A recent clinical study found that carrageenan exposure in overweight individuals led to:

• Lower whole body and hepatic insulin sensitivity

• Increased brain inflammation

• Elevated C-reactive protein and IL-6 levels

• Increased intestinal permeability

The cancer risk data isn't reassuring either. A massive French prospective study found associations between higher carrageenan intake and increased risk of overall, breast, and prostate cancer.

What about the gut? Scientists found that while carrageenan might not be directly inflammatory, it creates an environment that promotes inflammation by disrupting gut microbiota composition. And yes, they tested this both in lab conditions and through fecal transplants — so we're not just talking about test tube results.

The problems with carrageenan are so well documented that it was advised to limit human exposure to it by reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Now, to be fair, there is some positive research. Scientists are studying carrageenan as a potential anti-cancer treatment — but here's the catch: they're looking at specific types of carrageenan (λ-carrageenan) administered through direct injection into tumors in very small numbers of lab-bred mice, not oral supplements in large sampling of humans. 

Another “positive” antiviral research presents an interesting situation. The study examining λ-carrageenan's potential against influenza and COVID-19 comes with a notable disclosure: one of the key researchers, Yong-il Kim, was attempting to commercialize λ-carrageenan through Hanmi Pharmaceutical Co., a South Korean company. What makes this particularly interesting? Hanmi Pharmaceutical focuses on oncology, obesity/metabolism, and rare diseases — not respiratory conditions. They've never specialized in antiviral treatments or respiratory health.

So we have a researcher with commercial interests trying to sell a seaweed derivative to a pharmaceutical company that doesn't typically work in that medical area. These are the kinds of details that often get overlooked in enthusiastic social media posts about sea moss gel's "antiviral properties."

While sea moss gel sellers promise everything from better skin to improved digestion, the actual research on their primary ingredient suggests it might be doing more harm than good. And maybe that's why none of these companies mention carrageenan in their fancy marketing materials — it's a lot harder to sell a supplement when its main ingredient comes with research-backed health warnings.

How to navigate this trend and why should you care?

You know, I could spend months going through all 670 sea moss gel products on Amazon, checking every seller, and this article would turn into a book. Instead, I want to tell you about something more important: doing your own research before buying any health-related products.

While I've touched on some concerning practices from major sellers, there are hundreds more out there. The best way to protect yourself? Take time to check who's behind the product you're about to put in your body.

I'd love to stick around and investigate every supplement that hits the market. But what's even better is sharing what I've learned with you, so we can all make smarter choices about health-related purchases. That's exactly why I write these reports for Munch Metrics — the more of us who know how to spot these red flags, the harder it becomes for questionable companies to operate.

And while you're at it, share this knowledge with people you care about. The supplement industry isn't getting any smaller, but together, we can get better at navigating it.

Some basic steps I always take (and you should too):

• Look up the company on LinkedIn

• Verify their manufacturing claims

• Read their website critically (yes, those spelling errors matter)

• Check if the nutritional information adds up

• Search for third-party testing results (and verify them)

But more importantly, look at what they're not telling you. In this case, none of the major sellers mention carrageenan — the main component of their product — anywhere in their marketing. When companies hide basic facts about their ingredients, that's a red flag.

And hey, if this investigation made you think twice about supplement purchases, share these findings with people you care about. 

Remember that 54-year-old woman who needed thyroid surgery after taking sea moss gel? That's why this matters. That's why we need to keep investigating, keep sharing what we find, and keep helping each other make better decisions about the next wellness trend that comes along.