Selenium and acne

Selenium is one of the most important minerals. Many important body functions depend on it. There are people who need to consume selenium supplements because they might not be taking enough of it and the system lacks it. However, a person should first talk to a doctor before taking these supplements. It is important that the person gets to know the possible risks, what is the right dosage and especially what medications he or she should not be taking while using selenium supplement.

Benefits

There are lots of health benefits that come from this mineral. One of them is the ability to clear up acne. The reason why selenium is so effective with acne clearing is because it plays a huge role in the natural antioxidant activities of the body. With the help of selenium, glutathione peroxidase is produced and that interacts with vitamin E in order to fight off the free radicals. Hormone-related acne are also influenced because selenium assists proper thyroid function.Other uses

Apart from being good in adult acne treatment, selenium is used in prevention or treatment of some other diseases like heart disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and even infertility in men. These are not all the benefits of selenium because this mineral also betters the immune system and plays a role in both prevention and treatment of some cancer types, HIV treatments and anxiety, depression, neurological disorders, cataracts, ulcers, psoriasis and osteoarthritis. However, there is still no strong medical proof that will support the use of selenium in treatments or prevention of any health problems.Dosage

Adults should take some 55 micrograms of selenium per day. Studies were conducted where participants were given 100 and 200 micrograms of selenium daily. Women who are breastfeeding or pregnant should take a slightly higher dosage, some 60 to 70 micrograms. A person should not forget that it is very important that he or she talks to a doctor before taking selenium and find out what is the right dosage for him or her.

Considerations

Usually people get the right amount of selenium from the foods they eat. Meat, fish, seafood, dairy, vegetables and whole grains all contain selenium. It is more likely that a person has selenium deficiency because of some other factors like cigarettes, alcohol or oral contraceptives. There are some diseases like Crohn's disease that influences the selenium deficiency. In these cases a person should use selenium supplements.

Warnings

In most cases it is the overconsumption of selenium supplements that causes problems. A person who does that may experience hair loss, nausea, vomiting and depression. A person may end up with diabetes or high cholesterol as well.