> Supplement Index > Selenium > Selenium General Information Selenium Uses & Scientific Evidence For Selenium Dosage Information Selenium Safety & Interaction Information Buy Selenium Supplements and Products - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Selenium General Information Selenium is an essential trace element. It’s main function is to inhibit the oxidation of fats (lipids) as a component of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase. When combined with vitamin E, Selenium is a vital antioxidant. This trace element is necessary for pancreatic function and tissue elasticity, and plays a vital role in regulating the effects of thyroid hormone on fat metabolism.Selenium is found in meat and grains, depending on the Selenium content of the soil where the food is raised. It is also found in Brazil nuts, Brewer’s yeast, broccoli, brown rice, chicken dairy products, dulse, garlic, kelp, molasses, onions, salmon, seafood, torula yeast, tuna, vegetables, wheat germ, and whole grains. Selenium is found in a variety of herbs as well such as alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, fennel seed, fenugreek, ginseng, hawthorn berry, hops, horsetail, lemongrass, milk thistle, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, rose hips, sarsaparilla, uva ursi, yarrow, and yellow dock. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Selenium Uses & Scientific Evidence For Adding a Selenium supplement to your diet will aid in the production of antibodies and help maintain a healthy heart and liver, and when combined with vitamin E and zinc, can provide relief from an enlarged prostate. Studies have shown some positive results when this supplement is used in the treatment of arthritis, cardiovascular disease, male infertility, cataracts, AIDS, and high blood pressure. Other scientific studies have shown that Selenium inhibits grow of tumors, and there is some evidence that AIDS patients also have an increased survival rate when they take a Selenium supplement as it increases red and white blood cell counts. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Selenium Dosage Information The standard dosage of a Selenium supplement is up to 200 micrograms of Selenium per day. If you are pregnant, do not exceed 40 micrograms per day. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Selenium Safety & Interaction Information Studies have shown that a Selenium deficiency is linked to cancer and heart disease. A deficiency in this trace element can cause exhaustion, growth impairment, high cholesterol levels, infections, liver impairment, pancreatic insufficiency, and sterility. If you have an excessive amount of Selenium in the diet the symptoms include arthritis, brittle nails, garlicky breath odor, gastrointestinal disorders, hair loss, irritability, liver and kidney impairment, a metallic taste in the mouth, pallor skin eruptions, tooth loss, and yellowish skin. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - Buy Selenium Supplements and Products Below