Kelp Powder Sea Tea Seaweed

[Gummy Bear]

I came across this article that indicated Kelp powder/seaweed products are likely to contain arsenic which we all know is a poison. Just thought I would post it here too for informational purposes. Many here have jumped on this sea tea bandwagon and have started to add products containing these ingredients to our plants. While the plants may possibly show physical benifits, I hope the arsenic content is not really as harmful or as common as this article indicates. Not trying to step on anyones toes, just sharing in case anyone in interested.

Maximum Respect

GB


April 9th, 2007 @ 11:19 am by Andy

Herbal supplements made from kelp seaweed can contain dangerously high levels of arsenic, according to a study by Marc Schenker at the UC Davis Department of Public Health. Schenker’s group started looking at kelp supplements after seeing a patient who had developed symptoms of arsenic poisoning after taking kelp powder seaweed supplements for memory problems.
Several brands of commercial kelp supplements were tested at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Labs, located at UC Davis. Eight of nine contained toxic levels of arsenic — especially if the supplements were taken regularly over a long period.


Unlike pharmaceuticals, herbal supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, although they are not supposed to make specific health claims. The paper is published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.


[edited to add this from the paper published in Environmental Health Perspectives]
Abstract
Context: Medicinal use of dietary herbal seaweed supplements can cause inadvertent arsenic toxicosis.

Case Presentation: A 54-year-old woman was referred to the University of California, Davis, Occupational Medicine Clinic with a 2-year history of worsening alopecia and memory loss. She also reported having a rash, increasing fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, disabling her to the point where she could no longer work full-time. A thorough exposure history revealed that she took daily kelp supplements. A urine sample showed an arsenic level of 83.6 µg/g creatinine (normal < 50 µg/g creatinine) . A sample from her kelp supplements contained 8.5 mg/kg (ppm) arsenic. Within weeks of discontinuing the supplements, her symptoms resolved and arsenic blood and urine levels were undetectable.

Discussion: To evaluate the extent of arsenic contamination in commercially available kelp, we analyzed nine samples randomly obtained from local health food stores. Eight of the nine samples showed detectable levels of arsenic higher than the Food and Drug Administration tolerance level of 0.5 to 2 ppm for certain food products. None of the supplements contained information regarding the possibility of contamination with arsenic or other heavy metals. The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) has changed the way dietary herbal therapies are marketed and regulated in the United States. Less regulation of dietary herbal therapies will make inadvertent toxicities a more frequent occurrence.

Relevance to Clinical Practice: Clinicians should be aware of the potential for heavy metal toxicity due to chronic use of dietary herbal supplements. Inquiring about use of dietary supplements is an important element of the medical history.

[Medical Marijuana]

This warning relates to humans ingesting kelp products, not feeding to plants. Unless you eat your sea tea (yuck!), rather than applying to your plants, you will NOT be affected by any arsenic that may be present.
The sea tea I use is sourced from clean kelp beds.

[Gummy Bear]

Originally Posted by Smokin *****

This warning relates to humans ingesting kelp products, not feeding to plants. Unless you eat your sea tea (yuck!), rather than applying to your plants, you will NOT be affected by any arsenic that may be present.
The sea tea I use is sourced from clean kelp beds.

Well, don't we add products to our plants in hopes that they will be absorbed by the plant? That is why we add ferts and other strange things like kelp powder in the first place, right? There is a GREAT chance that if arsenic is present in kelp powder (as indicated in this article) that it will be absorbed by the plant and therefore subject to be ingested when the plants are smoked. I personally have a huge problem with that possibility.

For example, when pesticides or even regular nutes are added to plants they need to be rinsed and flushed so that we do not consume those products. We add nutes so that the nitorgen and the micro nutrients will be absorbed by the plant. Why would the arsenic NOT also be absorbed as well since it very well may be present in kelp powder like this article states (this article is from a nationally recognized reputible source, not someones opinion). My plants are smart but may not be able to filter out the bad from the good stuff.

Some use kelp powder as a dietary supplement, but now so many on this site are using it too but may not be aware of the dangers it could possibly contain.

While you state that your kelp product is from a "safe" source, it should not be assumed that all or even most of it is safe. We were not there when it was harvested after all.

Again, not to step on your toes or challenge your "expertise." Just putting this info out for those who may care.

It is well worth the read, even if youn do not agree with me. I'm not being paid to advertise here. Just hoping to share some good info.

Maximum Respect,
GB

[Big dog]

I think what ***** is saying is that any amount of arsenic which might be absorbed by the marijuana plants is so minute as to make the arsenic essentially harmless to anyone who, later, smokes the buds and leaves. Of course, ideally, we would never take any substance which might be remotely poisonous into our bodies. But, in our world today, that is practically impossible.

[Boss]

We also put bat crap in our plants, but we don't die from amonia poisoning :-)

[RooRman]

Oragnic Arsenic at such commonly occuring low levels is not proven to be a detrement to your health in any way. Inorganic Arsenic, which is Arsenic that has bonded with oxygen and sulphur or chlorine, is by far more poisonous and long term exposure to it can have adverse effects. Inorganic arsenic is usually a by-product of mining for ore and the burning of fossil fuels. It seems that the case cited about the supplements has more to do with the latter than the former. If the supplements were made incorrectly they could in fact have caused illness due to high levels of inorganic arsenic.

In addition, the liver of a 54 year old women is probably not the most efficient organ and with these supplements being taken on a daily basis it's anyones guess why a build-up of Arsenic was caused in her system enough to reach toxic levels. Barring a complete medical background we cannot say if these minute levels would have been harmless to another younger or more healthy person, espescially one lacking the possible renol insufficiencies of a 54 year old. A healthy person may have in fact metabolized the Arsenic at a faster rate, and as such suffered no potentially toxic build up in the system. This seems more likely to me merely because we have yet to see mass recalls on these products and products like them containing kelp due to widespread health complications, i.e. more than just one isolated case.

Also, oragnic Arsenic can be present in fish and seafood. However, again being at such low levels this is neglidgable to most degrees, and the FDA seems to agree, otherwise you wouldn't be eating that Arsenic and Mercury filled poisonous fish for dinner would you?

In conclusion, it is everyones individual choice to use kelp products or not. Any and every time you ingest anything, be it food, water, some type of drug or other substance there is a risk involved and one must quantify the overall risk and weigh that against it's corresponding benefits. I for one would rate organic Arsenic poisoning from using kelp fertilizers fairly low on the scale of serious risk of occurance, however your individual analysis may vary.

[ViCiOsO]

Here here! lol +rep!

[Medical Marijuana]

The oceans of the earth hold all elements in solution or suspension, arsenic included. I would not think manufacturers of kelp would source their product from fouled waters, high in heavy metals. If anything, I would be more concerned about lead and mercury, than arsenic.
The kelp sea tea I use sources it's bull kelp from Norwegian waters, near fiords where there is ample crystal clear water to produce pristine bull kelp. As for other commercial kelp products, most of them have been used by home gardeners and agriculturists for decades, and I'm sure the FDA would have jumped in if there was a problem.
I'm glad this thread was posted, as it has given a forum to discuss a legitimate issue.
But as RooR said, it is individual choice to use.

[Gummy Bear]

Just want to state again that this was not posted with the intent to be a shhit starter. I have used kelp products as well and was alarmed when I came across the article that discussed arsenic content in Kelp products. I stand by my opinion that it has the potential to be present in kelp products IN AMOUNTS THAT ARE HIGHER THAN SAFELY ALLOWED. I do believe this poison has the potential to be present in kelp and wanted to share that info in case anyone else is interested too. Nothing wrong with being informed. What one does with that info is of a totally personal nature. Just putting it out there.

Don't really see how this got turned into a debate. For those who offered valid points and differing opinions, thanks! That's what makes the world go round. For those drama queens itching for shit flinging by offering rep points instead of valid points...well lets just hope your rep points can cure any damage that arsenic can do to your body. This is a real discussion about growing plants and meds, not grounded in juvenille mud slinging.

As usual...
MAXIMUM RESPECT to you all,
GB

[Boss]

The story was on dietary supplements, not Sea Tea or Liquid kelp. I don't understand how the title got Sea Tea in it, unless thats the name of the pills people are taking.

If you ask me, all of these herbal remedies should be banned from sale until they can be independantly validated and saftey checked. 99 percent of them are only out there to rip people off, and our government has done nothing to stop it. How many fat people have already been fooled into thinking they would lose 10's of 100's of pounds by taking "blah blah blah". If someone gets poisoned by these "supplements" I am not sure where to place the blame.