Selenium is a beneficial mineral that helps keep us healthy boosting our immune system to combat illness and promote good health.
8 out of 10 of us are deficient:
- In the last 60 years selenium has been washed out of most soils and we are getting much lower amounts (about 20%) than our body needs. As well as boosting our immune system selenium is a highly effective free radical scavenger. Stress not only generates free radicals, but also reduces the small amounts of selenium within our body
- Selenium deficiency increases the aging process
- Experts say that the lack of selenium increases the aging process. For people who exercise a lot there is an extra need for selenium because it increases the excretion of selenium, and endurance exercise increases the manufacture of harmful free radicals.
How much do we need daily?
- Researchers advise 200 – 300mcg per day
- Some of the considerable Health Benefits of Optimum Selenium:
Heart disease
- Selenium has been shown to reduce several types of heart diseases including heart attacks. As a note many people who experience Anaemia have been found to be low in selenium.
Infections
Optimum selenium helps to prevent viral and bacterial infections; the researchers also found that a selenium deficiency increased the risk of infections
Bones and Joints
- Selenium helps prevent and reduce Rheumatoid Arthritis and most people who experience rheumatoid arthritis are nearly always low in selenium. Optimum selenium intake has also been shown to help reduce the experience of Osteoarthritis.
Hair and Skin benefits
- Optimum selenium improves the condition of hair, reducing brittle hair. It improves the texture and health of skin and can counteract and improve some types of dermatitis and eczema, and helps reduce Dandruff.
Nervous System
- It improves our learning ability and our Mood. People who suffer poor memory, anxiety and confusion are often low in selenium
Eyesight
- Selenium helps to prevent cataracts and helps to prevent Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Some factors that increase Harmful Free Radicals and deplete our selenium reserves
- Alcohol
- Tobacco smoking
- Tooth fillings – due to the mercury content of fillings
- High Stress levels
- Prolonged exercise
- Simple sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose and corn syrups
- Air conditioning, surprisingly, can causes the production of harmful free radicals
- A high intake of dietary fats
- Using aluminium for cooking
- Using antiperspirants – most contain aluminium
Beware cheap Selenium Supplements: Many forms of selenium are ineffective, in fact some actually contribute to lowering the immune system. Only take the Foodstate form