What is selenium

Selenium

Selenium will be the focus of this text and we will give information on thiselement and the benefits on the human body associated with it. This chemicalelement is non-metallic and the symbol for it is "Se". The elementssulfur and oxygen are a part of the same group in the periodic table as the oneselenium belongs. This chemical element bears the atomic number 34 and it wasdiscovered by a chemist from Sweden called Jons Berzelius in the 1817. There aremany benefits of this element, which is known to have uses in biological functions, chemistryand other areas as well.

Uses

Many chemical reactions have selenium as their part so it is used in chemicalindustry and laboratories in this way. It is also used for the production of glass becauseit eliminates the green effect produced by the iron impurities. The glass istransparent and colorless because of the effect of the selenium. Also, whenused in certain way, the glass can obtain deep red color thanks to the effects of selenium. The some sort of electricity can be created from the light energywith the use of selenium and this use is put in the process of making solarcells. Brass making and ceramic manufacture also have uses for selenium, whichhas its part in the copying and printing technology as well. Some health issues can betreated with selenium because some mineral and vitamin supplements are madewith it. It decreases the effects chemotherapy and it is used for treatingproblems such as nutrient malabsorption, burns, asthma and Keshan diseases.

Health Benefits

The body cells have chromosomes and the selenium can protect them due to theantioxidants contained in the selenium. Free radicals can cause damage to thechromosomes and the selenium prevents this from happening. All of this leads tothe decreased possibility of developing any type of cancer. Also it can controlthe blood pressure and decrease the cholesterol level. These problems might leadto heart problems, so selenium can help you avoid them. The thyroidgland greatly depends on the selenium since it provides proper functioning of thisgland. Its functioning can be greatly impaired if deficiency of selenium ispresent. Selenium eliminates the presence of toxic material from the body withvitamin E and it helps many body processes. It can be located in kidneysand liver. The skin will be healthier by the effect of the selenium and this isone of the benefits that are of greatest importance.