It is known that for a full-fledged existence a person needs not only fats, proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins, but also microelements, one of which is selenium. Its importance can hardly be overestimated, but, unfortunately, more and more doctors diagnose selenium deficiency, which causes many functional disorders. It is possible to compensate for its deficiency with the help of proper nutrition.
What is selenium for the body?
The main property of selenium, the most important for the whole organism, is its antitumor activity. It activates the p53 gene, an important element of the endocrine system that is responsible for redox reactions and is part of cell detoxifying enzymes that neutralize free radicals. In the case when a person has a reduced production of this gene in the body, selenium is vital for the prevention of cancer.
It is also an irreplaceable participant in the metabolism of proteins and nucleic acids, participates in anti-inflammatory and regenerative processes, supports and strengthens the immune system, helping it to fight diseases such as viral hepatitis, herpes, and Ebola. Thanks to selenium, the immune system can keep the HIV virus in a latent state, preventing its development and transition to the expanded picture of AIDS.
Selenium is necessary for the treatment of hyperplasia of the thyroid gland, together with iodine preparations, it is also used for the prevention of thyroid diseases.
Selenium is indispensable for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, removing salts of heavy metals from the body: lead, cadmium, mercury, manganese. It is also found in the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, a component of the body's global antioxidant system, protecting the heart from free radicals. Selenium helps the body to cope with arrhythmias, reduces the risk of ventricular fibrillation and the effects of toxic substances.
What foods are rich in selenium
The richest in selenium are vegetables and cereals grown on soils in which there is a sufficient amount of this trace element. Selenium is found in large quantities in garlic and onions, Brazil nuts and mushrooms, wheat bran and seeds are rich in them. From animal food, the main sources of selenium are all seafood, including sea fish, mussels and other shellfish, shrimp and squid. There is a lot of it in beef and pork liver and kidneys, red meat, eggs.
Selenium is found in some medicinal plants: spirulina algae, silver birch, eucalyptus, Ural licorice, sweet clover, field ephedra and field horsetail.
Recently, agricultural producers have increasingly begun to feed the soil with selenium-containing fertilizers, but this does not always make the products more useful, because chemicals with a high nitrate content are also used at the same time. Therefore, doctors recommend taking supplements or complexes of vitamins and minerals, which include selenium.
