Selenium Essay

Selenium is a trace mineral, one of the essential minerals found in minute amounts in the body. Our body needs selenium to perform several functions. Selenium works closely with vitamin E in some of its metabolic actions and in the promotion of normal body growth and fertility. It protects the immune system by preventing the formation of free radicals, which can damage the body. Selenium is a natural antioxidant and appears to preserve the elasticity of tissue by delaying oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. It has also been found to function as a preventive against the formation of certain types of tumours. It is needed for pancreatic function as well. When combined with vitamin E and zinc, it may provide relief from an enlarged prostate. Selenium supplementation has been found to protect the liver in people with alcoholic cirrhosis.

A deficiency of selenium has been linked to cancer and heart disease, exhaustion, growth impairment, high cholesterol levels, infections, liver impairment, pancreatic insufficiency, and sterility. Premature ageing may also be a consequence of low selenium levels, because selenium preserves tissue elasticity. On the other hand, toxic symptoms are loss of hair, teeth, and nails, dermatitis, lethargy, and paralysis. Severe overdose produces fever, an …show more content…
Selenium can be found in meat and grains, depending on the selenium content of the soil where the food is raised. Selenium can also be found in Brazil nuts, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, brown rice, chicken, dairy products, garlic, kelp, liver, molasses, onions, salmon, seafood, tuna, vegetables, wheat germ, and whole grains. Herbs that contain selenium include alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, fennel seed, fenugreek, garlic, ginseng, hawthorn berry, hops, horsetail, lemongrass, milk thistle, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, rose hips, and