 Tikun Ormus - Benefits of Selenium
Selenium Deficiency
Globally, most cases of selenium deficiency are associated with severe gastrointestinal problems such as Crohn's disease or stomach surgery.
Selenium is an Antioxidant
Amongst other things, Selenium is an antioxidant.
Selenium is a natural mineral found in the soil.
Low Selenium has recently been linked to thyroid problems, specifically Hashimoto's (hypothyroidism) autoimmune thyroiditis.
- Hyp-O-thyroidism is an Under-Active thyroid
- Hyp-ER-thyroidism is an Over-Active thyroid
Selenium deficiency is not thought to be common in healthy adults, but is more likely to be found in those with digestive health issues causing poor absorption of nutrients, such as Crohn's or celiac disease, or those with serious inflammation due to chronic infection.
It is thought that selenium deficiency does not specifically cause illness by itself, but that it makes the body more susceptible to illnesses caused by other nutritional, biochemical or infectious stresses, due to its role in immune function.
Adequate selenium nutrition supports efficient thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism and protects the thyroid gland from damage from excessive iodine exposure.
Links to Heart Disease
Studies have found that people with heart disease and certain cancers often have low levels of selenium.
Many doctors still suggest selenium for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and diseases of the heart and blood vessels, including stroke and hardening of the arteries and under-active thyroids (hypothyroidism).
Other benefits of selenium
Other benefits of selenium are healthy eyes and hair.
The antioxidants of selenium help the body absorb Vitamin E, which assists in preventing cataracts from forming and plays an important role in the prevention of macular degeneration.
Selenium also aids the body in processing and using proteins that are consumed.
Hair is primarily composed of proteins so when the body is able to better process the proteins, hair growth will follow.
Deficiencies in selenium (and zinc) often lead to hair loss.
Limits Per Day
The safe upper limit for selenium is 400 micrograms a day in adults. Anything above that is considered an overdose.
In addition, side effects for excess amounts of selenium include nausea, vomiting, nail changes, loss of energy and irritability.
It could also result in muscle tenderness, tremor, light-headedness, facial flushing, blood clotting problems, liver and kidney problems and more.
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