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Like other antioxidants, selenium protects cells from free radicals that can cause cancer and heart disease. Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts.

Plant foods are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries throughout the world. The content of selenium in food depends on the selenium content of the soil where plants are grown or animals are raised.

Selenium is found in meat, wheat germ, nuts (particularly Brazil nuts...more on these next), eggs, oats, whole wheat bread, and brown rice. Sadly however, modern farming practices have depleted the soil, so many people don't get sufficient selenium from their diets anymore. Refining and processing also reduce selenium levels, which is why eating whole, unprocessed, organic food is the best way to obtain the nutrient. Since this isn't always possible, it is highly recommended that you use supplements with selenium.

Where you get Selenium: Lobster, clams, crabs, whole grains, Brazil nuts and oysters. Selenium content of foods can vary. For example, Brazil nuts may contain as much as 544 micrograms of selenium per ounce. They also may contain far less selenium. It is wise to eat Brazil nuts only occasionally because of their unusually high intake of selenium.

Selenium supplements appeared to raise the risk of diabetes in a large study designed to test whether selenium could prevent skin cancer.

In a trial study done by The Nutritional Prevention of Cancer, roughly 1,000 residents of the eastern United States were given selenium supplements (200 micrograms) or a placebo, every day. After nearly eight years, 58 of the 600 selenium takers were diagnosed with diabetes, while only 39 of the 600 placebo takers were diagnosed with diabetes. That comes out to a near 50-percent higher rate among those who took the selenium. Therefore, if you are at risk of becoming diabetic or are already, you should avoid too much selenium.

Until there are more studies completed, it wouldn't be a bad idea to stick to a multivitamin that has no more than 55mcg, which is the recommended level of selenium. Most multivitamins have less, so you'd be safe with most, but do check your multivitamin just to be sure! You don't want to take too much selenium, though. Too much (over 900 meg daily) can lead to depression, nervousness, vomiting, and nausea.

Taking selenium is particularly recommended for people with certain digestive conditions, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Human selenium deficiency is rare in the U.S. but is seen in other countries, most notably China, where soil concentration of selenium is low. There is evidence that selenium deficiency may contribute to development of a form of heart disease, hypothyroidism, and a weakened immune system. There is also evidence that selenium deficiency does not usually cause illness by itself. Rather, it can make the body more susceptible to illnesses caused by other nutritional, biochemical or infectious stresses.

Taken in supplement form, it is best to combine a selenium supplement with Vitamin E.

• Selenomax by Vitabase --  Doctor Approved. Premium brand of stable, well-absorbed, and organic selenium. Crucial mineral antioxidant that protects cells and tissues from free-radical damage. Each capsule contains 200 mcg of selenium.
• Selenium Food Complex contains minerals that help in normal cell growth and detoxification. Each tablet is filled with highly active probiotic selenium that is up to 64 times more active than in its purified form. They contain cultured herbs like cinnamon, oregano, and rosemary that are known for their ability to counter oxidation safely, and nutrients that have cell protective and antioxidant effects.
• E and Selenium Food Complex contains highly active probiotic E and selenium and is up to 64 times more active than purified vitamin E and selenium.

Kyolic Formula 105 Selenium/Vitamin A-C-E -- Odorless and organic, this formula begins with 100 percent organically grown garlic bulbs. They are then aged to perfection in a unique process to eliminate odor and create beneficial compounds found only in Kyolic. This synergistic combination has special antioxidant properties that aid in detoxification and anti-aging.

See also:
The Way to a Man's Heart Health: Selenium!

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