Nutritional Imbalance: Low Selenium

background info | recommendations

The selenium content of our food depends entirely upon the selenium content of the soil where the food was grown. However, nearly a third of the United States and three Canadian Provinces have soil that is seriously selenium deficient. This is unfortunate because selenium is a powerful antioxidant (a substance that prevents tissue damage from oxidization) and therefore is one of the best cancer-blocking agents. Selenium offers important protection against heart disease, and is involved in the synthesis of hormones and maintaining normal liver function as well.

Additionally, selenium plays an important role in cleansing your body of heavy metal poisoning, such as may occur from exposure to mercury (as in dental fillings) or lead (as in old paint). It does this by speeding up the rate of heavy metal excretion in the urine and feces. Since selenium enhances your immune system it is beneficial to chronic allergy patients.

Selenium is not only an effective tool against cancer and heart disease, but it appears to be effective in preventing the onset of other chronic degenerative diseases such as premature aging, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and arthritis.

Geographic locations in North America where the soil is low in selenium are Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Western New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Washington, Rhode Island, Oregon, New Jersey, Vermont, the Carolinas, Florida, West Virginia and Connecticut. The Canadian provinces of Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba are also selenium deficient.

Low Selenium Recommendations:

If you do not live in an area of selenium-deficient soil and you make an effort to eat a variety of nutritious foods, you are unlikely to be seriously deficient in selenium. However, food processing destroys much of the selenium in grains, etc. and even a mild selenium deficiency can impair your immune system.

If your quiz score shows you may have a selenium imbalance and you live in one of the selenium deficient areas of North America (see above) or have other reasons to think you may need higher levels of selenium (for example, if you have allergies or if you are at a high risk of cancer or heart disease), you would likely benefit from a selenium supplement.

Take 100-200mcg of organically bound selenium every day. Taking selenium with vitamin E (200-400 I.U.) will increase both the selenium and vitamin E absorption. Don't take mega doses of selenium -- it can be toxic in high doses. Add more food sources of selenium to your diet: fish (tuna, mackerel, salmon), whole grains, wheat germ, raw nuts, poultry, organic meat, oatmeal, brown rice and vegetables (especially turnips, broccoli and onions). Brazil nuts are one of the best sources of selenium but keep in mind that one ounce of brazil nuts also has 185 calories. Cut back on refined foods made from white sugar and white flour. Eat brown rice instead of white rice.