Are you familiar with Selenium?
Selenium is an essential trace mineral that helps
support the overall smooth functioning of your system.
In today's video, we’ll discuss what happens to your body when
there is insufficient Selenium. What are the deficiency symptoms?
Are there any foods that help? We're talking about all of that and more.
Let's look into selenium deficiency.
Approximately 500 million to 1 billion people worldwide are selenium deficient. That's shocking,
as you don't need much Selenium to stay healthy. The recommended daily allowance for people over 14
is 55 micrograms, while pregnant and breastfeeding women need 60 and 70 micrograms, respectively.
Selenium levels in food depend on the selenium content of the soil in which it is grown,
with some areas having higher levels than others. Research
says that selenium deficiency is more common in Eastern Europe,
China, and New Zealand. But that's not the only cause of selenium deficiency.
Certain health conditions, such as HIV and gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn's disease
and celiac disease, and dialysis may also put you at a higher risk of developing a deficiency.
So what symptoms do people with a selenium deficiency experience? Here are some warning
symptoms you may experience if you are not getting enough of this trace mineral.
Are you experiencing a bad hair day every day?
You're missing out on some essential selenium! This trace mineral is vital
for keeping your locks luscious and healthy. Without enough Selenium,
your hair may fall out faster than a molting bird and become brittle and weak.
Selenium is necessary for the production of thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones are
essential for making your hair grow or even regenerate. The thyroid gland has the highest
concentration of Selenium per weight. But a deficiency can rob you of your precious mane.
A little concentration of selenium can give you enough of a boost to get your hair back on track.
Make sure to get your fix through your diet, and you'll be flaunting fabulous hair in no time!
Want to glow like a radiant sunflower?
Selenium deficiency can make you rough around the edges.
This trace mineral is vital for keeping your skin smooth and healthy. Low Selenium levels
can cause terrible rashes. Initially, your skin may start looking and feeling like a dry,
cracked desert. You could even lose a finger or toenail due to this condition.
Additionally, Selenium is responsible for the elasticity of your skin. It has a photoprotective
potential that blocks harmful UV rays and free radicals to maintain good skin health.
Your skin can lose the color pigment and become white and patchy. That's
why doctors say Selenium is the elixir for your skin.
Look toward Selenium if you need help starting a family.
Selenium majorly affects your reproductive health. Without enough Selenium, your body
may not produce healthy sperm or eggs or have difficulty maintaining a pregnancy.
Studies have found a correlation between low Selenium levels during the early stages of
pregnancy and miscarriage. It can even cause low birth weight and wreak your baby's immune
and nervous systems. This means Selenium not only improves your chances of starting a family
but also maintains pregnancy, and it takes care of the health of your child even after birth.
Selenium is vital for your immune system.
If you are constantly battling sniffles and sneezes, Selenium might be the right
element that your immune system might be lacking.
This immune system superhero helps you fight off infections and illnesses. Extremely low
levels of Selenium can also transform mild pathogens into life-threatening diseases.
Researchers have found that selenium deficiency may exacerbate the effects of
coxsackievirus infection, leading to Keshan disease, which affects the heart muscle and
blood flow. This disease was observed in a region of China where the soil had low
levels of Selenium. The combination of selenium deficiency and coxsackievirus
infection can cause damage to the heart and interfere with normal blood flow. This means
you need enough Selenium to make your immune system operate at its full potential. The
antioxidant properties of Selenium can produce selenoproteins and reduce inflammation. These
compounds prevent the growth of cancer cells by giving a boost to your immunity.
Selenium is the ultimate brain booster.
If you are feeling forgetful lately, then Selenium can help you to bring out your
A game. Research has shown missing out on this essential nutrient can alter cognition. Remember,
brain fog isn't because of Selenium deficiency alone. It can be due to
other conditions as well. Check with your doctor to rule out other possible causes.
But there is no denying that Selenium is vital in keeping your mind sharp and focused.
Moving along, It also helps to kill those everyday blues.
Does hitting that snooze button constantly and struggling to get out of bed seem an everyday
phenomenon for you? Low Selenium can make you feel sluggish and tired all the time. The trace mineral
can give you all the energy to tackle the day and help to turn food into fuel for your body.
Lastly, selenium plays a significant role in keeping your muscles healthy.
Selenium shortage can prevent you from lifting your usual weights at
the gym. It helps the muscles to stay strong and keep working at their best.
Selenium deficiency can affect skeletal muscles,
the muscles responsible for movement, cardiac muscles, or the particular muscles of the heart.
When it affects the skeletal muscles, it can cause fatigue and tiredness. But when
it involves the heart muscles, it can damage the cardiac muscles and compromise the blood flow.
To avoid these signs of deficiency,
look to add more selenium-rich foods to your diet. Here's what to eat:
Start with blissful Brazil nuts.
Just a handful of these nuts can provide almost 10 times the daily value of Selenium. But limit
their intake to 1 or 2 per day. These nuts will provide you with protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
Toss them in your morning oatmeal, smoothies, salads, or yogurt, or snack on them as is.
Treat yourself to some seafood with yellowfin tuna.
Three ounces of cooked yellowfin tuna can provide you with almost 50% of your daily
selenium value. It's an excellent choice for loading up on Omega 3 fatty acids
that help build muscle and promote heart health. Tuna is also a perfect addition
to sandwiches and pasta dishes and a great topping option for crackers and rice cakes.
You can also indulge in some halibut.
Three ounces of cooked halibut provides 40% of your daily value of Selenium.
This tasty seafood gives you lots of vitamin B12, phosphorus, Omega 3 fats,
and lean protein. Add your favorite seasoning, grill it and make some delicious fish tacos.
Another seafood worth mentioning is shrimp.
Three ounces of canned shrimp provide 50% of the daily value of Selenium. Snack on this
protein-rich convenient source of Selenium with your favorite dips or spreads and stir-fries.
More for non-vegetarians, we have ham.
Roasted ham is a delicious source of Selenium with a 3 and serving providing about 25% of the
daily value. You will get adequate zinc, B vitamins, and other nutrients from ham.
There are so many ways to enjoy it, but our favorite is toppings for salad and pizzas.
Next, have you caught up with the craze of cottage cheese?
Made from curdled milk, cottage cheese has a mild creamy texture. It can be available
in the market as pressed cheese in the shape of blocks and cubes. It's widely included in many
weight loss plans for athletes as it contains multiple essential nutrients and proteins.
It can give you 25% of the daily value of Selenium from just a cup. Mix it into the batter of waffles
and pancakes as a substitute for milk. Add it to fruit salads, dipping sauces, and baked goods.
Coming to whole grains now, how about some brown rice?
This rice might take a little longer to cook than white rice,
but it has the germ and the bran intact, making it rich in fiber. Brown rice has a slightly
nutty flavor and chewy texture that blends perfectly in one-pot recipes like fried rice.
A one-cup serving provides 25% of your daily value of Selenium.
The last nutritious source of Selenium is eggs.
They are packed with high-quality protein that has long-term health benefits. Additionally,
they have another brain booster compound called choline in addition to vitamin D.
One egg provides 20% of your daily value of Selenium. Eggs are versatile and can
be enjoyed as hard-boiled eggs for breakfast or scrambled and baked eggs.
But hold on, before you go overboard on the Selenium, you should know that too
much of a good thing can be harmful. Yes, Selenium is an essential mineral,
but it's crucial to ensure you're not consuming too much, as this can lead to selenosis,
a condition caused by excessive levels of Selenium in the body.
Symptoms of chronic selenosis or long-term selenium toxicity include an unpleasant
garlic-like odor in your mouth, brittle hair and nails, hair loss, irritability,
nausea, fatigue, rashes, diarrhea, and even mottled teeth. Selenosis can lead to skin and
nervous system lesions and neurological abnormalities in more severe cases.
And suppose you overdo it on the Selenium; you might even experience acute selenosis,
which can be life-threatening and cause symptoms like acute respiratory distress,
severe gastrointestinal issues, myocardial infarction, kidney failure, and even death.
Enough about Selenium! If you’re looking for a vitamin that helps you feel your best,
look no further than Vitamin B12. Its deficiency can cause various unpleasant
symptoms, and you may not even know you are deficient! Want to learn more?
Check out How Vitamin B12 Deficiency Is Hurting Your Health Without You
Knowing or 9 Warning Signs That Your Body Is Low On Vitamin B12.
Go ahead. Click one, or better yet, watch both and learn more about the sneaky symptoms of B12
deficiency. Do you eat enough Selenium-rich foods every day? Let us know in the comments below.