Selenium Health Benefits

Benefits Of Selenium

Although selenium is a trace mineral and you only need tiny amounts of it, it could be one of the best supplements you can take to keep yourself healthy.

In this article we will have a look at some of the health benefits associated with selenium.

What Does Selenium Do?

Selenium acts as an antioxidant and protects against the harmful effects of free radicals, as well as helping to detoxify the body from chemicals and pollutants.

In addition to this selenium also plays a role in the prevention of heart disease and some cancers. A good example of how beneficial selenium is in preventing heart disease comes from China.

In one area of China where there was virtually no selenium in the soil lots of young men where dying due to heart disease.

A study was done to test the effect of selenium supplementation by giving half of the men selenium supplements and the other half a placebo.

After 6 months the difference between the two groups was so great that the study was abandoned and all men were given selenium.

How Much Selenium Do You Need?

The RDA for selenium is 70mcg, although many people take 200mcg safely.

Where Do You Get Selenium?

The amount of selenium you receive from food largely depends upon the level of selenium found in the soil from which the food was grown.

Unfortunately however most soil in westernised countries tends to have low levels of selenium, which has resulted in the vast majority of people becoming deficient.

Who Needs Selenium Supplements?

Since the amount of selenium you are likely to get from your diet is relatively low, virtually everyone would benefit from taking a high quality yeast based selenium supplement. 200mcg is recommended.