Selenium supplements and the consumer

Information on Selenium Supplements

Selenium is one of the most important essential minerals concerning the health of the human body. The human body uses the proteins and selenium so that it can produce selenoproteins which are enzymes with very potent antioxidant properties. These enzymes are very efficient when it comes to slowing down the process of aging, fighting off the free radicals and reducing the amount and severity of damage they cause inside the human body on the cellular level. They may also come in very handy when it comes to reducing the risk of various different sorts of serious medical conditions such as cancers and heart diseases. Various different types of plants commonly grown in soils are excellent sources of selenium. Most different kinds of seafoods and meats contain rich amounts of selenium because the animals often feed off the aforementioned plants grown in soils rich in selenium. Sometimes it can be rather tricky to determine whether a person ingests sufficient amounts of selenium. The best way of ensuring that a person ingests required amounts of selenium is to use it in its supplemental form.

Selenium deficiency is a very rare medical condition, but it still may occur in some cases, especially in people who suffer from Crohn’s disease or other diseases related to the gastrointestinal system and improper absorption of selenium in the human body. The symptoms of selenium deficiency may include frequent infections, poor pancreas function, poor liver function, high levels of cholesterol in the blood and unusual weakness. These are all due to a weakened immune system. Selenium supplements may often be combined with multivitamin supplements. Scientific studies have shown that regular consumption of selenium in its supplemental form may be very efficient in reducing the risk of heart diseases and certain types of cancers.

Selenium Supplements and the Consumer

The recommended daily allowance for selenium is 55 micrograms per day, but an average American’s daily diet actually supplies somewhere around 100 micrograms of this essential mineral. Most people do not know that selenium may be toxic when taken in large amounts, so one should not take it in excessive quantities. Unlike most other antioxidants, selenium gets stored inside the human body if it does not get used. Most other antioxidants get flushed from the body. There is a certain environmental risk of industrial pollution due to breathed exposure to selenium in some areas of the world.