Selenium is a mineral in soil, water and plants. According to the MedlinePlus website, selenium is an essential trace mineral. A Natural News article suggests that optimal amounts of selenium in soil may help prevent and treat Kashin-Beck disease. Kashin-Beck is a type of heart failure that occurs in parts of the world that have low soil selenium levels. The article suggests that people get most dietary selenium from plant foods, but plant selenium content depends on the amount of selenium in the soil.
Antioxidant Properties
Oxygen molecules can become overly reactive and damage cell structures in your body. These hyper-reactive oxygen molecules are called free radicals. Radicalized oxygen molecules increase oxidative stress on cellular structures in your body, which may contribute to degenerative diseases like cancer. Selenium may help prevent oxidative stress by working with other vitamins and nutrients in your body. According to the National Institutes of Health's MedlinePlus online database, selenium is a component an enzyme that has antioxidant activity in your body.
Healthy Thyroid Function
The World's Healthiest Foods suggests that selenium enables your thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormone. The website indicates that selenium is a critical component of healthy thyroid functioning and regulates the amount of thyroid hormone your thyroid produces. Your thyroid gland needs selenium to produce T3 hormone, which is the most active form of thyroid hormone.
Joint Health
The World's Healthiest Foods indicates that selenium may reduce your risk of joint inflammation. Selenium may reduce oxidative stress that occurs around the joints and selenium deficiency may contribute to developing diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. The World's Healthiest Foods notes that selenium deficiency is a primary contributing cause of Kashin-Beck disease, a condition that involves deterioration of joint tissue.
Cancer Prevention
The World's Healthiest Foods website suggests that selenium may help prevent cancer. Selenium may support DNA repair and DNA synthesis in damaged cells and help suppress cancer cell growth. Selenium may help induce cancer cell "apoptosis," which is a cellular self-destruct mechanism that your body uses to destroy abnormal cells. Glutathoine peroxidase incorporates selenium to help disarm toxic molecules that accumulate in your body and suppress cancer cell growth.
Stimulating Antibodies
According to the U.S. Library of Medicine with the National Institutes of Health, selenium may stimulate antibodies after you get vaccinations. Antibodies are a type of protein that your body produces to protect itself. Your body makes antibodies when it detects harmful substances or antigens. Vaccination-induced antibodies help protect you from contracting diseases by building up your body's defenses.
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