Red Marine Algae, or Dulse, has been used by people as a food staple for thousands of years due to its highly nutritious qualities, mostly multicellular, marine algae, including many notable seaweeds.Seaweeds are not animals or plants, but are actually classified as algae.  Biologists prefer the term “marine macroalgae” (meaning large plants living in the ocean) to seaweeds. Carrageenans, a family of polysaccharide compounds extracted from algae, have been studied for their unique properties. It might be found to be low-cost, broad-spectrum antiviral agents.

Though medicinal benefits of many marine algae have not yet been substantiated, seaweed has a long and varied history of use for its healing properties.  Red Marine Algae (RMA) can assist the body's immune response to viruses. This can help to reduce the number of outbreaks and the severity of the outbreaks. As an herbal medicine, sea vegetables are traditionally used for treating cough, asthma, hemorrhoids, boils, goiter, stomach ailments, urinary diseases and for reducing the incidence of tumors, ulcers and headaches.

Despite failure at the eradication of the herpes virus, success in the short term by temporarily suppressing its proliferation has yielded positive results. The treatment was effective for treating subjects (e.g. human patients) both prior to and subsequent to herpes infection. It was used topically to alleviate symptoms associated with herpes infections or preferably systemic, by oral administration; to eradicate the virus and thereby prevent symptom recurrence. RMA can be useful for weight-loss and lowering cholesterol, helping improve your overall health.

It is also available as a dietary supplement.