Tag: Selenium

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Top Six Benefits of Selenium


Did you know that selenium, an essential mineral, has the ability to protect your health in multiple ways?

Selenium is an important mineral for your body and only a small amount is needed (the recommended daily intake is 55 micrograms (mcg). Due to poor soil, taking certain pharmaceutical drugs such as statins, and the normal aging process, selenium is one of the most common mineral deficiencies in the world.

Selenium is linked to many healthy outcomes, including protection from diseases and reduction of disease symptoms. 

Six Top Benefits of Selenium

1. Antioxidant and Reduces Oxidative Stress

As an antioxidant, selenium is even more beneficial than vitamins A, C, D, and E and helps to decrease oxidative stress, which is the result of an imbalance in the body between free radicals and antioxidants.

Oxidative stress contributes to a variety of diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis (hardening of the blood vessels), inflammatory conditions, high blood pressure, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s), and cancers, and contributes to aging.

Supplementing with selenium was reviewed in 13 studies showing significant impact on three antioxidant markers, thus reducing oxidative stress.

2. Boosts Skin Health

In a meta-analysis of 27 studies with a total of 1,315 patients and 7,181 healthy controls, selenium levels were found to be low in patients with four skin diseases: psoriasis, acne vulgaris, chloric acne, and atopic dermatitis.

Another research study of DNA reprogramming of inflammatory cells confirms that higher selenium levels may instill protective properties for genes important for psoriasis prevention and treatment.

Selenium was also found to be beneficial in the treatment of psoriasis in a systematic review of research. In addition, selenium has been related to improvements in skin aging (skin elasticity and skin roughness).

Blood glutathione peroxidase (low levels indicate increased damage to cell membranes due to accumulation of free radicals and signify low selenium levels) was measured in 61 healthy subjects and 506 patients with various skin disorders (i.e., psoriasis, eczema, atopic dermatitis, vasculitis, mycosis fungoides and dermatitis herpetiformis, pemphigoid, acne conglobata, polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and systemic lupus erythematodes) and supplementation with selenium and vitamin E restored the skin’s balance.

3. Benefits Asthma

Asthma (a condition with breathing difficulties, coughing, and sneezing) is a complicated disease to treat and is associated with increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and abnormal immune system function. In a meta-analysis of 40 studies, asthma patients showed significantly lower levels of selenium compared to healthy subjects, suggesting lower selenium intake could be a risk factor for the disease.

As mentioned, selenium, as an antioxidant, has been found to lower oxidative stress. This, in turn, seems to reduce allergic asthma. In addition, dietary selenium as an antioxidant therapy may be important in optimizing asthma treatment and prevention.

In a study of 25 asthmatic patients and 25 healthy subjects, asthmatics had lower concentrations of selenium, increased oxidative stress markers and inflammation, and decreased antioxidant glutathione peroxidase activity and lung function.

Nutritional supplement therapy including selenium balanced oxidant stress, inflammation and immune system responses, pulmonary function, and health-related quality of life in patients with mild to moderate allergic asthma.

4. Helps Prevent and Improve Thyroid Diseases

Selenium is an essential micronutrient for your body and readily found in the thyroid. As a supplement, it can help prevent immune-mediated thyroid disorders by reducing anti-thyroperoxidase antibody levels and improving thyroid ultrasound features.

The prevalence of pathological thyroid conditions (hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis, enlarged thyroid) was significantly lower in the adequate-selenium group than in the low-selenium group (18% versus 30.5%) in a sample of 6,152 subjects in China.

Selenium administration (200 milligrams per day) significantly improved quality of life, reduced ocular involvement, and slowed progression of 159 patients with mild Graves’ orbitopathy (also called thyroid eye disease).

5. Promotes Heart Health

The combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, and high cholesterol is called metabolic syndrome and when these conditions occur together, they dramatically increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes.

In a study of 2,069 patients, dietary selenium intake had a moderate negative association with metabolic syndrome. In a study of 501 British volunteers aged 60 to 74 years, supplementation with selenium (100 mcg, 200 mcg, 300 mcg) showed progressive decreases in total cholesterol profiles for those with low selenium levels, but cautions that those with already high selenium intake might be adversely affected by extra selenium supplementation.

In a 12-year follow-up of a group of healthy elderly participants who were supplemented with selenium and coenzyme Q10 for four years, there was a significantly reduced risk for cardiovascular mortality in the treatment group (28.1%) compared to the placebo group (38.7%).

6. Brain Boosting

Alzheimer’s disease, a devastating brain disorder, is characterized by two pathological protein deposits, the senile plaques of amyloid-β and tangles of protein tau. In addition, oxidative stress and neural signal transmission disorders also impact Alzheimer’s.

A large body of studies suggests that selenium (Se), either as Se-containing compounds or as selenoproteins, is involved in most of the molecular pathways that are important in the progression of dementia and therefore have the potential to help prevent or improve Alzheimer’s.

In a mouse model, selenium yeast showed several benefits for Alzheimer’s subjects; it decreased the generation of amyloid-β and enhanced autophagic clearance (old cells are recycled and cleaned out to make room for new cells in the brain), which reduced the burden of amyloid-β accumulation.

Another animal study confirmed that selenium (sodium selenite) significantly decreased tau-positive neurons and reversed Alzheimer’s-like memory and neuropsychiatric symptoms in mice with advanced dementia. Additionally, selenium induced protective effects against experimental dementia-induced brain inflammation and oxidative stress by enhancing the antioxidant system in rats.

In 79 Alzheimer’s patients, probiotic and selenium co-supplementation for 12 weeks improved cognitive function and some metabolic profiles such as lipid, antioxidant, and insulin levels.  Selenium and zinc are essential trace elements and an inadequate dietary intake has been implicated in the decline of immune and cognitive functions in aged persons and influences age-related disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Type 2 diabetes.

Selenium and Health

Selenium, a widely researched essential mineral, is beneficial to your health due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory (regulates immune functions) and cardioprotective properties.

Be sure to pick up your Selenium Supplement on your next visit to Whitaker’s Natural Market!

Portions of this Health Tip are from GreenMedInfo.

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Supplementing with glutathione daily reduces cellular damage and fights degenerative disease, study reveals.

Roughly one out of every three Americans is now suffering from a degenerative disease like, heart disease (which kills over 620,000 people every year) or cancer (deaths from which are expected to top 630,000 by 2020).

Several researchers speculate that the widespread occurrence of these diseases is due to a deficiency in glutathione – a natural antioxidant produced in the body.
Inextricably linked to health and longevity, glutathione is a disease-fighting natural chemical that protects cells, reduces oxidative stress, neutralizes toxins, and even helps to boost the immune system.  Unfortunately, as we age, glutathione levels plunge – which increases our risk of degenerative disease.

Glutathione, which is composed of a trio of amino acids (glycine, glutamine, and cysteine), is found in every cell in the body – with particularly high concentrations in the liver, where it is produced.

One of the most important functions of glutathione is that it binds to, and neutralizes, harmful free radicals – which otherwise would produce oxidative stress and trigger disease.  It also detoxifies pollutants and carcinogens and helps to speed up their excretion from the body.

In addition, glutathione enhances and supports the function of T-cells – which are needed for an effective immune system – and assists with DNA repair, thus reducing the chance of cancer-causing mutations.

It also helps to transport mercury (a toxic, heavy metal) from the brain.

Finally, glutathione helps to “tweak” metabolism, discouraging the formation of fat while supporting and promoting the development of lean muscle.  Recent studies have illustrated the various therapeutic benefits of glutathione, from improving insulin sensitivity to reducing damage from ulcerative colitis.

Interesting to note: A clinical trial published last year in BMC Gastroenterology concluded that supplementation with glutathione can even help treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is currently reaching epidemic proportions in the United States.

Dr. Mark Hyman, the Medical Director at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine, makes a particularly eye-opening claim, reporting that “virtually all patients suffering from chronic degenerative disease” (including those with cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, autoimmune disease, and Alzheimer’s disease) are “deficient in glutathione.”

Alpha-lipoic acid, the “sleep hormone” melatonin, milk thistle, and the antioxidant mineral selenium have all been found to increase glutathione as well.

Personally, I find taking a supplement like G-cel with added nutrients to better absorb the Glutathione is a great way to start.  The G-cel features other ingredients such as milk thistle, magnesium, selenium, zinc, chromium, alpha lipoic acid, and much more!  Most of the top co-factors for cellular health.  Think of G-cel as your cellular “chimney sweep” to help remove toxins!

Stop in and talk to Dr Jocelin to find out more about the amazing benefits of glutathione for the body and her exclusive practitioner grade G-cel supplement.



Portions of the health tip are from NaturalHealth365.

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How trace minerals help to heal the body

Even if you try to eat a healthy, organic diet – you could be at risk for nutritional deficiencies without realizing it.  In fact, the National Institutes of Health concluded that “the vast majority of people in both affluent and emerging industrialized countries do not reach even 75 percent of the RDAs for numerous trace minerals.”

The importance of nutrient status (and deficiencies) cannot be overstated. For example, magnesium deficiency is widespread among Americans. One study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, shows that 68% of Americans are magnesium deficient and, some experts like Carolyn Dean, MD have been warning the public for years.

What is the importance of trace minerals?
Some minerals, such as calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, are more common in food and in your body. Trace minerals, on the other hand, are essential minerals that you only need in trace amounts.

The following is a condensed look at certain minerals and their purpose in the body:

Chromium is necessary for proper regulation of blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity.

Cobalt is present in vitamin B12, and it is necessary for generating healthy, red blood cells.

Zinc allows for proper immune response, growth, antioxidant function, and wound healing.

Selenium is necessary for proper antioxidant function and liver detoxification. It is also essential for healthy muscles and hair.

Iodine is necessary for your body to make thyroid hormone – which is involved in almost every process in your body including energy metabolism and temperature regulation.

Bottom line, trace minerals are essential to protect against common health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline. Without enough trace minerals, you’re also susceptible to contamination from heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, and lead.

Why modern farming techniques MUST change to help save humanity
Why aren’t Americans getting enough trace minerals from their food supply?  Obviously, we should be looking at soil content.  Over the past century, the quality of our soil has been depleted by 85 percent – mainly due to modern methods of farming.

The agricultural sector is driven by crop yield, using every possible method to increase the number of pounds harvested. Intensive farming, combined with soil erosion, has resulted in soil with a lower mineral content. To make matters worse, chemical fertilizers are insufficient to replace the minerals needed for optimal health and poison the environment.

The singular focus on agricultural yield comes at the expense of nutritious food products and the nutritional status and health of Americans. Fruits and vegetables are now grown in soil with a lower nutrient content than in the past. A study in Canada found that tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, and lettuce have on average one-eighth the mineral content today than they did at the beginning of the 20th century.

The ocean provides a natural way to correct mineral deficiencies
If you just can’t depend on the produce section, how can you give your body the nutrients it needs to heal your body? The answer may lie in the ocean, which is rich in minerals.  They’re in their complete, non-denatured form, which is the form most beneficial (and recognizable) to the human body.

Be sure to check out our Natural Factor’s Whole Earth & Sea Mineral Blend as well as our specific mineral supplements on your next visit to Whitaker’s Natural Market.

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Selenium and Our Health

What does selenium have to do with your health?  The answer may surprise you (and motivate you – in a whole new way!)

Let’s start with a discussion about cancer – the second leading cause of death in the United States, right behind heart disease.  Experts predict that cancer will soon surpass heart disease as the leading killer of American adults.

An essential trace element found in various foods, soil, and water, selenium helps to prevent cancer by enhancing our immune system, increasing protection against stress and disease plus suppressing the growth of cancerous cells.

Selenium enhances the power of a “master antioxidant” to help detoxify the body.

One of selenium’s most vital functions is to help create antioxidant enzymes, or selenoproteins, that recycle glutathione, the body’s “master antioxidant” and detoxifier.  In this way, selenium strikes a blow against the disease-causing oxidative stress – which contributes to chronic degenerative disease.

But selenium also has many more “tricks up its sleeve” when it comes to fighting cancer.
Unlike therapies that address only one specific stage or type of cancer, selenium is pleiotropic. This means that it combats cancer through multiple pathways and mechanisms, allowing it to target the disease in various forms and stages.

So important is selenium that low levels are linked with an eight-fold increased risk of cancers of the bladder, lungs, stomach, esophagus, and liver.

And, supplementation has been shown to lower cancer risk, particularly cancers of the bladder, lung, and colon.

Selenium’s extensive therapeutic “toolkit” allows it to prevent cancerous cells from developing into tumors

In addition to preserving the selenoproteins that recycle antioxidants, selenium regulates inflammatory molecules that contribute to cancer growth.

This versatile nutrient also helps to boost the immune system, detoxify carcinogens and heavy metals, protect DNA from cancer-causing mutations, and inactivate molecules crucial to the development of cancer cells.

In addition, selenium induces apoptosis – the programmed death of cancer cells – meaning it may help check the uncontrolled reproduction that can help cancer spread so swiftly.

Finally, selenium regulates sex hormone receptors used by some cancers, thereby helping to suppress tumor invasion and growth.  Peer-reviewed research has documented reductions in cancer risk through selenium supplementation.

Be sure to check out our amazing food based Selenium that is practitioner grade meaning we can only carry it because of our own Dr. Jocelin!