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Selenium
Selenium is a essential part of glutathione peroxidase, an important antioxidant enzyme that works with vitamin E to protect cell membranes, and to prevent oxidation of fats and body chemicals. Selenium is also essential for the proper functinoing of the heart, liver, immune system, and red blood cells; it also helps protect against toxic doses of lead, mercury, cadmium, and silver. The preliminary results of some studies seem to indicate that it may also help lessen the risk of contracting certain forms of cancer.
Selenium deficiency is unknown in humans, however selenium toxicity isn't. High doses of selenium may increase dental cavities and cause skin lessions, and an overdose of selenium can cause a strange metallic taste in the mouth, nausea, abdominal pains, diarrhoea, fatigue, irritability, skin problems, black fingernails, and loss of hair, teeth, and nails. Acute poisoning can result in fever, rapid breathing, inflammation of the spinal cord and bone marrow, and finally death. The selenium content of food depends on the selenium present in the soil upon which the food was grown or the animals grazed. Crops grown on selenium-rich soil, may contain upto 100 ppm (parts per million) of selenium, while crops grown on selenium deficient soils may contain signifigantly less than 1ppm. Most of our dietary selenium comes from rice, cereals, bread, meat, nuts, fish, seafood, poultry, milk, and legumes. Fruit and vegetables contain little selenium.
Content & Updated by Reps Mags (MNU)