Selenium

Background: Selenium is an essential mineral (trace element) that is not synthesized by the body. We typically get it through our food and water. It is an essential component of DNA that helps direct the activity of cells. It is also antioxidant - playing a major role in immune function and protecting against cellular damage. cardiovascular health, and endocrine function:  

                                     

What Does Selenium Do for the Body?

Respiratory: Hayfever, may help in viral and bacterial upper respiratory infections. May have preventive properties against viral and some bacterial pathogens.

Eyes: Helps prevent macular degeneration, cataracts

Cardiovascular: Promotes cardiovascular health, helps prevent atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke

Gastrointestinal: May help improve liver disease.

Genitourinary: Selenium may reduce the risk of bladder cancer, and it may augment fertility

Musculoskeletal: Supports osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

Neurologic: Chronic fatigue, supports cognitive function

Skin: Graying hair, tinea versicolor, seborrheic dermatitis (scalp), antifungal, Helps skin repair and prevents cell damage (especially in aging skin). Has been used topically to fight athletes foot. May help with psoriasis.

Mental Health: Supports mood; may help reduce depression and anxiety 

Glucose: Possibly helps glucose regulation

Cholesterol: May help lower cholesterol

Immunity: Enhances immunity

Cancer: May help to prevent cancers of the prostate (taken with vitamin E), lung, colon, and skin; helps prevent side effects from chemotherapy

Infectious Disease: Used in treating HIV/AIDS

Other: May help manage Hashimoto's thyroiditis (underactive thyroid). Helps protect the body from heavy metals.

Symptoms of Too Little Selenium

Weakness, infertility, fatigue, brain fog, hair loss, decreased immunity and contributor to autoimmune disease; (i.e. Crohn's, thyroid diseases, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis). Low levels of selenium may be linked to abnormal pap tests.

Symptoms of Too Much Selenium

While the body does store some selenium in muscle, this is not common because it excesses are excretes through urine and feces. If there is too much, a person may experience nausea, diarrhea, a metal taste in the mouth, halitosis (bad breath), loss of hair, brittle or loss of nails, irritability, skin rash, fever, nausea, kidney, heart, liver problems and others.

Caution/Contraindications: Chemotherapeutic agents, corticosteroids, niacin, statins, birth control pills, immunomodulators. If you have an immune disorder, it is important to discuss supplentation with selenium with your healthcare provider. May increase the risk of squamous cell skin cancer (1)

FORMS: Liquid (drops), capsules, tablets, topical, shampoo (common: Selsun Blue)

DOSAGE: As directed

The following are reported doses and may NOT be supported by evidence (reported by various sources, i.e., WebMD, RxList, Epocrates, ConsumerLabs, German Commission E, NIH publications, and others). Read dosages and instructions carefully on the label.

• Seborrheic dermatitis: 2.25% lotion or shampoo (up to 1-2 times weekly times per week-do not use on broken skin)2.5% lotion or shampoo

• Tinea versicolor: 2.5 % lotion or shampoo daily for 1 week (do not apply to broken skin)

• Tinea Capitis: 1 to 2.5% shampoo 2 times weekly for 2 weeks (leave on 2-3 minutes)

• Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA): 55 micrograms daily or as directed by your healthcare provider.

Food sources: Liver, fish (especially saltwater fish - tuna, cod, salmon, red snapper, halibut, and others), oysters, clams, shrimp, crab, beef, poultry, nuts (especially Brazil and walnuts), dairy, and whole wheat. Bran is generally a good selenium source

Recommended Brands

Life Extension Super Selenium Complex (This link is to a trusted affiliate brand of selenium which has been third-party tested by ConsumerLab, evaluated for quality, measured for declared quantity of ingredients, freshness, purity/contamination (including heavy metals and others), cost, and disintegration. See information about affiliates below.