Selenium deficiency often goes untreated because it does not create any noticeable symptoms. A certain amount of selenium is needed to protect the body from viruses and to promote healthy thyroid function. Research is being done and shows promise in using selenium to treat HIV and AIDS, allergies, flu, chronic fatigue syndrome, strokes, arthritis and more.
Selenium helps to regulate thyroid hormones and also supports the immune system. It helps to create antioxidants that clear out and protect cells from free radicals. Selenium deficiency is thought to trigger viruses into attacking and reproducing. Studies are being done to test the theory that selenium deficiency is the trigger for the HIV virus (among others) to switch from dormant into active status. It is believed that viruses switch into action when they need to visit more cells in search for more selenium. It is also believed that appropriate selenium levels slow down the HIV virus replication process.
Selenium is critical for thyroid hormone metabolism. It is part of the enzyme necessary for conversion of T4 hormone into the active form T3. Low selenium levels can lead to thyroid damage and hypothyroidism. However, high levels can do the same thing. Therefore, if you have thyroid issues, it is extremely important to monitor your thyroid function along with your dietary intake of selenium. A skilled physician or nutritionist will help you adjust and determine the right dosage of vitamins and supplements required for your thyroid to function at its best level.
We get selenium from whole grains, some seafood, most meats, and nuts. The amount of selenium we get from grains and nuts depends on the selenium content of the soil that they were grown in. The content of selenium in meat depends on the amount present in the plants that the animals fed on. Levels of selenium in soil vary so much from region to region that it is very hard to tell how much we are actually getting.
Brazil nuts have an unusually high amount of selenium, as much as eight hundred times the daily requirement per ounce. If you do eat Brazil nuts, do so in moderation and watch for side effects of having too much selenium in your diet. Hair loss, horizontal white streaking or blotching of the fingernails, garlic breath, gastrointestinal disturbance, fatigue, irritability, and flushing of the face are signs of too much selenium.
The anti-viral, antioxidant and antibiotic properties of selenium make it useful for maintaining a healthy immune system and is thought to help prevent heart disease and certain cancers. Depletions can occur when you have gastrointestinal problems that cause selenium not to be absorbed. Selenium is also destroyed in foods that are processed or refined. This can lead to autoimmune problems and thyroid problems.
Talk with your doctor if you plan on supplementing with selenium before you buy vitamins. A vitamins and supplements regimen should be discussed with a health care professional familiar with your health history and current medications to avoid drug interactions or unwanted side effects.
About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements. Wholesale Nutrition has the best vitamin C Powder on the market (C-Salts). Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy vitamins or buy supplements of the highest quality. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/selenium-for-virus-protection-and-thyroid-function-1412538.html
