5 Advantages of Selenium (And How A lot You Actually Want)

TikTok has gone all in on selenium on account of its spectacular advantages, largely thanks to 1 meals that packs the nutrient in spades. However how a lot selenium do you really want… and the way a lot is an excessive amount of?

Should you’ve seen TikToks touting the magic packed into Brazil nuts, you’re in all probability considering fairly extremely a couple of sure nutrient proper now: selenium. The rationale why everybody’s abuzz about Brazil nuts is that only one nut packs more than 100 percent of the selenium you need in a day, which principally makes them a complement in meals type.

However what’s so nice about selenium anyway, and do you want extra? These questions, answered under.

What Is Selenium?

Selenium is an essential trace mineral present in meals (together with fortified meals) and dietary supplements, in response to the Nationwide Institutes of Well being (NIH). The nutrient impacts many programs within the physique and assists many essential capabilities.

“Selenium is necessary for cognition, the immune system, replica, in addition to thyroid hormones,” says Courtney Smith Dorchak, RD, proprietor of Keys to Vitamin, a digital vitamin consulting observe primarily based within the Florida Keys. Clearly, you want it to operate and really feel your greatest. 

5 Advantages of Selenium

Your physique depends on this nutrient to operate from head to toe. Listed below are a number of the most notable well being advantages of selenium.

1. It Helps Thyroid Well being

Your thyroid—the small, butterfly-shaped gland on the base of your neck—depends on two necessary vitamins to help its operate: iodine and selenium. In truth, per the NIH, your thyroid homes extra selenium in comparison with another organ in your physique. 

Your thyroid churns out two main hormones: T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). T4 must be transformed into T3, which is the energetic type of the hormone.

Selenium steps in right here to assist convert T4 to T3, says Dorchack. With that mission completed, T3 can then journey by means of the physique and do its work to help the operate of your metabolism, coronary heart fee, physique temperature, and digestion. (Actually, an enormous job.) 

2. It Helps Fertility

For males trying to begin or develop your loved ones, Dorchak factors out that there’s some analysis to counsel that selenium might assist shore up sperm focus and sperm motility. (One evaluation of randomized managed trials backs up the notion that selenium may help boost male fertility.) Selenium might quell oxidative stress that harms the quantity and speediness of swimmers.

Word: Remember to ask your physician if there are dietary or life-style modifications which will help your or your accomplice’s fertility.

3. It Acts as an Antioxidant

Selenium has antioxidant properties, which suggests it might probably assist combat off damaging free radicals that, over time, contribute to getting older and poor well being. The nutrient can also assist in DNA restore, in response to the NIH.

What does this all imply? In the end, selenium will help bolster your body’s natural defense system and assist shore up your immunity to probably provide safety towards sure well being points, in response to a 2022 evaluation within the journal Molecules. 

Nonetheless, selenium can’t do all of it. There are different vitamins which have antioxidant properties (vitamin C, anybody?) that work to maintain your immune system zipping alongside. So consider your immune system as an ensemble, full of numerous parts that make it robust. Selenium could also be one supporting actor amongst the complete forged.  

4. It Promotes Coronary heart Well being

To maintain your ticker robust, it’s necessary to eat the RDA for selenium on the common. (Maintain studying to see how a lot selenium you want.) Once more, selenium helps defend cells towards harm from free radicals, and this may increasingly, in flip, safeguard your coronary heart.

Consuming ample or higher-than-adequate (however nonetheless secure) quantities of selenium might assist decrease the overall risk of heart complications in comparison with having low ranges, in response to a 2021 meta-analysis in Essential Critiques in Meals Science and Vitamin. Nonetheless, loading up on rather more selenium than is critical isn’t the best choice, as we’ll see under.

5. It Helps a Wholesome Being pregnant

Girls who’re pregnant or breastfeeding want only a bit extra selenium of their food regimen. As an antioxidant, selenium might cut back oxidative stress, which is associated with pregnancy complications, a analysis evaluation within the Journal of Vitamin and Metabolism factors out. Selenium can also have an effect on your thyroid hormones, that are needed for a baby’s developing brain and nervous system.

Whereas it’s necessary to goal for the really helpful consumption of selenium throughout being pregnant and breastfeeding, researchers are nonetheless exploring if supplementing with selenium throughout this time is required or completely secure. (This invitations one other necessary alternative to speak to your OB-GYN.)

How A lot Selenium Do I Want?

In line with the NIH, adults ought to get 55 micrograms of selenium per day to reap its advantages. You’ll want 60 and 70 micrograms, respectively, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

The NIH additionally noes that selenium deficiency is uncommon. Nonetheless, Dorchak says that individuals who observe primarily plant-based diets could also be extra prone to deficiency, in addition to those that have thyroid points. That’s as a result of a number of the greatest dietary sources of selenium embody meat, fish, and shellfish. Nonetheless, first rate plant-based sources of selenium embody grains like brown rice and oatmeal.

However there’s one plant meals that tops all different meals for selenium—and that’s Brazil nuts. However there’s one caveat. Since these nuts are so wealthy in selenium, it’s simple to eat too many and exceed the really helpful higher consumption, which is 400 micrograms per day. (Higher consumption is the utmost you may take that’s identified to be secure.) In spite of everything, one ounce of Brazil nuts—or six to eight nuts—packs 544 micrograms.

You will discover out should you could also be consuming an excessive amount of selenium in case your breath smells garlicky (and also you didn’t simply feast on a garlic-rich pasta) or you’ve got a metallic style in your mouth, per the NIH. Overdoing it on the selenium long-term can contribute to hair loss, in addition to nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, and irritability, amongst different unintended effects.

That’s why it’s greatest to not purchase into TikTok’s Brazil nut pleasure too a lot, since extra shouldn’t be higher. If you’re going the Brazil nut route to learn from selenium, Dorchak advises consuming one per day. As well as, shopping for a bag and roasting them your self can convey out an pleasant, nuttier style. Should you’re buying the nuts already roasted and salted, remember to watch the sodium content material, as nuts can pack quite a lot of salt.

How you can Get Extra Selenium in Your Food plan

In fact, not everybody thinks that Brazil nuts are scrumptious. They are often bitter, which is why they’re usually uncared for in nut medleys. In line with the NIH, different meals which can be glorious sources of selenium embody:

• Yellowfin tuna and halibut
• Canned sardines
• Shrimp
• Boneless roasted turkey
• Cottage cheese
• Arduous-boiled eggs
• Lengthy-grain brown rice
• Complete-wheat bread

You can too make sure you get the selenium you want by way of a complement. HUM’s Daily Cleanse and Base Control every include selenium should you’re struggling to get the quantity it’s worthwhile to profit your well being.