- 1. Act as an antioxidant
- 2. Prevent Cancer
- 3. Prevent Cardiovascular Diseases
- 4. Improve thyroid function
- 5. Strengthen the Immune System
- 6. Help with weight loss
- 7. Prevent Alzheimer's
- When to take Selenium supplementation
- Risks of excess selenium
Selenium is a mineral with a high antioxidant power and therefore helps to prevent diseases such as cancer and strengthen the immune system, in addition to protecting against heart problems such as atherosclerosis.
Selenium is found in the soil and is present in water and in foods such as Brazil nuts, wheat flour, bread and egg yolk, and its supplementation should only be done with the guidance of the doctor or nutritionist, as the excess selenium in the body can bring harm to health. See all foods rich in selenium.
1. Act as an antioxidant
Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that helps to reduce the amount of free radicals in the body. These free radicals are naturally formed during body metabolism, but they can cause damage such as inflammation, changes in the functioning of cells and aging.
People who smoke, consume alcoholic beverages regularly and who live under a lot of stress end up producing a greater amount of free radicals, having a greater need to consume antioxidant nutrients. See which foods are rich in antioxidants.
2. Prevent Cancer
Because it is an antioxidant, selenium protects cells against changes in their DNA that lead to the production of tumors, being important to prevent mainly lung, breast, prostate and colon cancers.
3. Prevent Cardiovascular Diseases
Selenium reduces the amount of inflammatory substances in the body and increases the amount of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant in the body. These actions reduce the oxidation of bad cholesterol in blood vessels, which when it ends up producing atheromatous plaques, which clog arteries and cause problems such as heart attack, stroke and thrombosis.
4. Improve thyroid function
The thyroid is the organ that most stores selenium in the body, as it is essential to maintain a good production of your hormones. Selenium deficiency can lead to problems like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a type of hypothyroidism that occurs because the defense cells start to attack the thyroid, reducing its functioning.
5. Strengthen the Immune System
Adequate amounts of selenium in the body help to reduce inflammation and improve the immune system, even helping people with diseases like HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis C to have more immunity against opportunistic diseases.
6. Help with weight loss
Because it is important for the proper functioning of the thyroid, selenium helps to prevent hypothyroidism, diseases that end up slowing down the metabolism and favoring weight gain.
In addition, being overweight increases inflammation in the body, which also disrupts the production of satiety hormones. Thus, by acting as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, selenium also helps to reduce hormonal changes linked to excess fat, which favors weight loss.
7. Prevent Alzheimer's
By acting as an antioxidant, selenium helps prevent and reduce the spread of diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.
This benefit is even greater when selenium is consumed from foods that are sources of good fats, such as Brazil nuts, egg yolks and chicken.
When to take Selenium supplementation
In general, most people who have a varied diet get the recommended amounts of selenium to maintain health, but in some cases their deficiency is more common, such as in people with HIV, Crohn's disease and people who are fed through of nutrient serums injected directly into the vein.
In these cases, the doctor or nutritionist may prescribe the use of selenium supplements.
Risks of excess selenium
Excess selenium in the body can cause serious problems such as shortness of breath, fever, nausea and malfunctioning of organs such as the liver, kidneys and heart. Very high amounts can even lead to death, and for this reason, supplementation should only be done under the guidance of the doctor or nutritionist.
