Benefits Of Selenium
Selenium has a wide array of health benefits, including its ability to protect against certain heart diseases, boost the strength of the immune system, maximize thyroid function, reduce inflammation, prevent cancer, reduce the signs of premature aging, protect against antibodies, boost hair health, and balance your hormones. Here are some selenium benefits for health or foods high in selenium.
What Is Selenium?
Selenium is an essential trace mineral that is mainly derived from soil, water, and plant materials. Obviously, humans mainly acquire it from various plant sources, and since it is required for a number of essential. It is considered a non-metal, and although it is toxic in large quantities, it is necessary for certain cellular functions of animals and people. Therefore, including selenium-rich plant material in your diet is very important for maintaining overall health and wellness.
Selenium was actually discovered accidentally in the early 19th century, as a precipitate given off in the lead chamber process that was required to produce sulfuric acid. It was originally thought to be toxic and was eliminated, but when it was burned, it gave off an unusual smell, similar to the pungent odor of horseradish. Eventually, it was recognized as an independent element, although it is quite rare and difficult to find in large quantities.
Health Benefits Of Selenium
The health benefits of selenium are still being studied extensively, but certain very important advantages are already well known and are explained in greater detail below.
Improves Thyroid Health
When it comes to the endocrine system and the regulation of hormones in the body, the thyroid gland is one of the most significant and impacting. Research has shown that selenium is an essential component of the thyroid gland’s functions, and helps to regulate the amount of thyroid hormone that is produced by the body. The T3 hormone is one of the most important products of the thyroid gland, and it controls your body’s overall metabolic rate and function. Without selenium, the T3 hormone cannot be produced, which can be catastrophic to a wide variety of your body’s systems.
Antioxidant-Rich
The antioxidant potential of selenium is vital for protecting overall health, as the free radicals in the body can affect you in a number of terrible ways. Free radicals can weaken or kill cells in every organ system, can result in heart disease, kidney malfunction, digestive issues, metabolic syndrome, hormonal imbalance, and premature aging.
Prevents Cancer
As mentioned above, selenium has been found to be an essential part of a number of cellular processes, and this includes the body’s response to cancerous activity. Studies have shown that a normal selenium intake can result in a serious decrease in cancerous cell formation, especially in regards to prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers. Selenium is an essential player in various enzymatic reactions that can induce apoptosis, also known as automatic cell death, specifically for dangerous cancer cells, without harming healthy cells. Free radicals, the byproducts of cellular metabolismthat can cause cancer, damage DNA and mutate it to become a cancer cell. Selenium can boost DNA repair and prevent this mutation from occurring. Finally, glutathione superoxidase, an important anti-cancer compound in the body, utilizes selenium for its activity, so significant amounts are needed for those powerful antitumors and anticarcinogenic.
Longevity
Selenium-rich foods can help us live a longer and healthier life. This mineral is vital to well-being as it helps promote heart health, prevents asthma, and provides the body with other amazing benefits.
Improves Mental Health & Mood
Cognitive decline has been associated with free radical activity in the neural cortex, destroying pathways and inhibiting the proper functioning of nervous impulses. Selenium can help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s and improve mental health and overall mood by neutralizing free radicals before they can affect you.
Relieves Inflammatory Conditions
Apart from boosting your immune system, selenium also protects your body from wearing down and feeling older than it really is. Selenium has been shown to reduce oxidative stress that often occurs around joints and bones, manifesting as inflammation and various inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, sporiasis, lupus, eczema or associated pain and weakness. By reducing the inflammation at these vital hinges of your body, you can remain active,
Fertility
Selenium promotes sperm motility and increases the blood flow in the body. These are the two main processes responsible for conception and preventing fertility. Selenium is also shown to reduce the risk of
Anti-aging
Selenium acts as an antioxidant and stimulates the creation of more antioxidants, thereby helping to fight off the free radicals in the body. These free radicals are associated with the aging process and are one of the primary causes of wrinkles, age spots, loose skin, weakened muscles, and a generally older appearance.
Treats Kashin-Beck Disease
There is a particular heart condition, called Kashin-Beck disease, which affects a wide swath of the population in countries that have low selenium content. This is perhaps the most serious and noticeable effect of a selenium deficiency, and it is characterized by the death of cartilage cells and a retardation of growth, often resulting in osteoarthritis at a young age. Symptoms include joint pain, stiffness, lack of flexibility, and low range of motion, basically crippling those with severe cases. Selenium deficiency is not the only cause of Kashin-Beck, but it is certainly one of the major causes.
Hair Care
Although research is still being done on this condition, it is believed that good selenium content can reduce hair loss and the excessive dry scalp that results in dandruff.
Top Foods High In Selenium
The foods high in selenium intake for humans are mainly plants and animals, including the following:
Fish: Ocean fish and seafood are among the richest sources of selenium. These include halibut, tuna, crabs, rockfish, herring, and lobsters.
Vegetarian sources: Brazil nuts are the richest source that has been discovered so far, mainly because the nut requires no selenium for its own function, but stores large quantities that can be absorbed and utilized by those who eat the nut. Other plant-based sources of selenium are spinach, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds. Other good sources are foods made from grains grown in selenium-rich soils, such as cereals, brown rice, white bread, and pasta.
Animal products: These include animal kidneys, selenium-rich grass-fed beef, chicken breast, turkey, and eggs.
Selenium Dosage
It is important to know the proper selenium dosage for a day, as an excess of this mineral can also be harmful to the health, resulting in a selenium toxicity. The dosage, therefore, varies from age to age. Let us discuss it in detail below.
Toddler: 20mcg/day
Children (4 to 8): 30mcg/day
Children (9 to 14): 40mcg/day
Adults (above 15 years old): 55mcg/day
Pregnant women: 60mcg/day
Breastfeeding women: 70mcg/day
Side Effects
Selenium toxicity is just as dangerous as a deficiency, so be careful not to overdo your intake. Symptoms of toxicity include:
Difficulty concentrating
Kidney problems
Pulmonary edema, and even death
Nausea
Gastrointestinal disorders
Fatigue
Cirrhosis of the liver
Bad breath
Fever
Irritability
