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"Selenium - A Trace Mineral That May prevent Cancer!"
It is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are powerful antioxidants. These proteins help to minimize damage to cells by free radicals. One of the major functions of this mineral is to rid the body of toxic materials such as cadmium, mercury, and lead. what other antioxidant has been discovered by Johns Hopkins to increase your risk of death when taken in high doses? A deficiency of this mineral may contribute to poor thyroid gland function, and may cause a heart condition that is known as Keshan disease. A deficiency is also common in individuals whose only source of nutrition is parenteral nutrition. Parenteral nutrition refers to the process of feeding a person intravenously. It performs a key role in helping the body to fight infections as it helps to stimulate the production of antibodies. It also helps to promote more energy in the body, while helping menopausal women minimize their symptoms, and also to assist males in producing healthy sperm. Cancer studies Population studies have shown that death rates from Cancer are much lower in countries where Selenium levels in the soil are high when compared to countries where the levels of this mineral are low. Two studies, the Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Trial (NPC) and the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) suggest it may play a role in preventing Prostate Cancer. In a 1983 study it was found those individuals receiving 200 mcg. of it daily had fewer Cancers of the lung, colon, and rectum than those who did not receive it. In 2007, data from 385 studies was re-analyzed and it was found that those individuals taking supplementation with this mineral tended to live slightly longer than those that did not. Individuals consuming too much of it are at high risk for developing a disease known as Selenosis. Symptoms of this disease include hair loss, gastrointestinal upsets, white blotchy nails, and mild nerve damage. The Institute of Medicine has set the tolerable upper limit of this mineral to 400 micrograms a day to prevent the development of this disease.
This vitamin/mineral combination may take up to 12 weeks before any effects are noticed. A Treatment For Hypothyroidism As far as the thyroid gland goes, Selenium is part of an enzyme that converts the thyroid hormone T4, into another thyroid hormone T3. The New England Journal states that "selenium deficiency can result in thyroid injury and decreased extrathyroidal triiodothyronine production". In English, that means you are underproducing adequate levels of T3 hormone in your body. Additionally, areas that have low levels of it in the soil may contribute to underproduction of the thyroid hormone for individuals living in those areas. Dosage The recommended dosage of this mineral is:
Contraindications This mineral is contraindicated in those individuals that are hypersensitive to it. One study has suggested when taken with Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Beta-Carotene, it reduces the effectiveness of the vitamin Niacin and/or any of the Statin medications. Drug Interactions Here is a partial list of medications it may interact with:
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