[box]Selenium benefits your body on a cellular level, including the healthy function of hormones meaning it is an essential piece in overall health and disease prevention. It is found in many foods and even the water we drink, but if you are not eating a wholesome diet you run the risk of developing a deficiency which can lead to severe health issues.[/box]
What Is Selenium
This all encompassing mineral that is too important for you to ignore. Selenium is a mineral naturally found in soil. Dietary sources of Selenium are fresh water, plants and even meats in varying quantities. The body requires Selenium for countless functions, however we don’t need a whole lot of this mineral in order to maintain a healthy level. If you are a relatively healthy and well nourished individual, it is pretty unlikely that you will have a Selenium deficiency.
Processing foods is thought to destroy Selenium, if your diet contains a lot of processed foods then it is much more likely to develop a Selenium deficiency. By choosing whole foods that are not processed or treated with chemicals you can maintain Selenium levels and a healthy body.
The antioxidant qualities of Selenium have been to focus of an enormous amount of studies, studying the effects of this mineral with dozens of health conditions.
Selenium Benefits
Selenium benefits the body through performing its role as part of Glutathione Peroxidase, preventing fat cells from oxidizing and going rancid. This prevents many age related blemishes such as liver spots or age spots. By protecting fat and lipid cells Selenium improves cellular membrane health and function, translating into improved overall health and significant anti-aging qualities. Selenium deficiency causes cellular membrane dysfunction and inhibits nutrient absorption which leads to nutrient deficiency, from there you are far more at risk of developing virtually every disease.
Selenium is responsible for the production of an enzyme that breaks down excess estrogen in our system. This enzyme or Estrogen Sulfotransferase is critical for thyroid health and function, as well as preventing an imbalance in progesterone and estrogen.
On that same note, Selenium also plays an essential role in the production of Testosterone. This has prompted many studies in the relation between Selenium and hair loss, behavior and countless others.
Due to the close relationship between the thyroid gland and Selenium, it is no surprise that Iodine is also affected by Selenium levels. When sufficient levels of Selenium and Iodine are present in your body, your thyroid works properly and your hormones are balanced. When there is insufficient levels of either Selenium or Iodine your thyroid gland no longer works properly, becomes damaged and this causes many health conditions related to hormonal dysfunction.
Who Needs To Supplement Selenium
While we don’t need very much Selenium in order to stay healthy, with the processed foods becoming a more regular part of todays diet, deficiency is becoming far more common. Levels can be depleted through pharmaceutical drugs, sickness and old age, this leaves supplementing Selenium a fantastic option for almost anyone. The average North American receives a sufficient amount of this mineral, but not an optimal amount, and the numbers are even less impressive as you move from the coast to the plain centrals where deficiency really spikes. Tap into Selenium’s benefits and improve your health, hormone balance and quality of life.
Due to today’s diet and exogenous factors that deplete many nutrients from our body, supplementing between 100-200 mcg of Selenium can be extraordinarily beneficial for any number of health conditions.
When taken in conjunction with key nutrients like Vitamin E or Iodine the benefits can be amplified even further. Supplement smart and make sure your nutrients are working just as hard for you as they possibly can.
