Information Page

General Information

Selenium is taken into the body through water and foods. It is considered a mineral. The majority sources of selenium is consumed through one’s diet.

Selenium is used as a preventive treatment for various cancers of the: prostate, stomach, lung, and skin. It is also used for diseases of the heart. Other uses include treatment for: an under-active thyroid, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, macular degeneration (an eye disease), cataracts, gray hair, abnormal pap smears, infertility, prevention of miscarriage, mood disorders, and arsentic poisoning.

Selenium is used to prevent adverse complications from critical illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, a head injury, burns; it even reduces side effects from chemotherapy.

Selenium is a found in the soil, and is required in small amounts to maintain good health. It is crucial for many body processes and is present in the majority of bodily cells especially in the spleen, pancreas, liver, testes, and kidneys.

Food Sources

a. Animal Sources

Good selenium comes from crab, liver, fish, poultry,sea foods, and meats.

b. Plant Sources

Selenium can be found in many of today’s foods such as brazil nuts, wheat, oats and brown rice provide significant amounts, but this depends on the selenium content of the soil in which they have been grown.

The level of selenium in the soil varies all around the world.

Benefits and Therapeutic Effects

Selenium appears to increase the activity of antioxidants. By promoting normal liver activity it contributes to a healthy body.

Selenium is a neutralizer for alcohol, nicotine, and fats. In combination with vitamins C and E it is used to fight against cancer, aging, and heart disease.

It appears the combination of selenium and vitamin E have anti-inflammatory benefits. This combination may also improve illnesses such as psoriasis, lupus, rhematoid arthritis and eczema.

Recent studies show that selenium works rather quickly; therefore cells grow and die at normal rates thus protecting them from becoming cancerous cells.

In other studies selenium has also shown promise in helping to prevent other cancers such as cancer of the cervix, rectum, ovaries, bladder, oesophagus, pancreas and liver. It is also being tested against leukaemia with the hope of promising results.

With this in mind scientists are on a daily basis continuing to research into the benefits of selenium and how it may indeed be among the answers for curing cancer.

Signs of Deficiency

Keshan’s disease, which is fatal, may be a sign of selenium deficiency. This disease has a number of symptoms such as heart failure and pulmonary edema.

Keshan’s disease also makes the body prone to other illnesses.

Hypothyroidism can manifest itself in a countless number of disorders and symptoms such as excessive fatigue, goiter, cretinism, as well as recurrent miscarriages.

Selenium deficiency symptoms could also include those that are mostly related to the slow functioning of the immune system. These could include gastrointestinal problems, hair loss, diarrhea, cirrhosis, fatigue, garlic breath, and sloughing off of nails.

A deficiency could also include neurological symptoms like mood swings.

According to some studies in mice shows that a Selenium deficiency could cause an inactive virus to become an active, disease-causing form.

Dosages

Children from 1 to 3 years of age 20 mcg, 4 to 8 years 30 mcg. 9 to 13 years 40 mcg; females over 13 years old 60 mcg, males over 13 years of age 70 mcg, A tolerable upper level is 400 mcg per day for adults, but no more.

Higher doses may cause vomiting, nausea, loss of energy, nail changes, and irratility. Long term symptoms are fatigue, nausea, garlic breath odor, hair loss, white horizontal streak across the fingernail, and a metalic taste.

Side Effects and/or Toxicity

Selenium, like arsenic, inactivates the sulphhydral groups of amino acids.

Toxicity has been associated with a garlicky odour in the breath (caused by methylated selenium), fatigue, gastrointestinal disturbances, transverse lines on the nails, alopecia and peripheral neuropathy.

Treatment involves discontinuation of the source of excessive intake and supportive care.

Conclusion

Selenium protects the heart by reducing the risk of blood clotting. It also increases the good cholesterol.