What is selenium?

Selenium (Se) is a natural element on earth with atomic number 34. It is a nonmetal and belongs to the same group with Oxygen and Sulphur in the periodic table. Selenium is a nutritionally essential element for human.

Selenium exists in two forms: inorganic (selenate and selenite) and organic (selenomethionine and selenocysteine). Both forms can be good dietary sources of selenium. Inorganic selenites and selenates are absorbed by plants and convert to organic selenium, mostly in the form of selenomethionine and their methylated derivatives.

Ingested organic selenium, after being absorbed from the duodenum and small intestine, is transported in the blood to the liver. Inside the liver it is subsequently broken down into selenite and then resynthesized into different selenoproteins that make their way into the red blood cells, muscles, and tissues.

The human body is capable of absorbing more than 90% of ingested selenomethionine, but can only absorb about 50% of ingested inorganic selenium, as from selenite. The difference is highly beneficial to the body because it takes smaller amounts of inorganic selenium than organic selenium to be toxic to the body.

Selenium’s essentiality is exerted mainly through different selenoproteins which play an important role in immune function, thyroid function, and act as antioxidants.

Selenium has a powerful affinity for binding toxic agents in the body and neutralizes them. When mercury and selenium bind, this new compound cannot be absorbed by the body so it is removed as waste. This strong interaction greatly benefits total health and serves as one of the best ways to remove accumulated mercury from fatty tissues.

This antioxidant enzyme is essential for protecting us from mercury damages. We must include a surplus of selenium in our body to reduce mercury levels. It is critical to consume more selenium and less mercury for this to occur. Mercury contamination can come from food, water, vaccines, or dental amalgams.

Selenoproteins are used in a variety of antioxidant pathways in the body. They also reduce inflammation, regulate the immune response, and improve blood flow.

Selenium binds protective antioxidants like glutathione to areas of DNA that need repair. This process reduces the damage to cellular DNA and is especially important to reduce cancer growth, improve the aging process, and prevent against many degenerative diseases.

It is known that selenium can contribute to natural antioxidant pathways which stimulate apoptosis (cell death) in human cancer cells. It has also been found to reduce metastasis (spreading of cancer cells) in skin cancers.

Low selenium levels may increase the risk of thyroid cancer. This is due to the crucial role it plays on protecting the thyroid gland from damage. Selenoproteins is essential for optimal thyroid health and for the protective effects of these antioxidants inside the body. By supporting the repair of DNA, selenium is able to inhibit tumour development. By removing toxic substances from the body, selenium supports a healthy immune response to fight infection.