There are certain minerals and nutrients that, for some reason, are better known and recommended when organizing a diet and improving nutrition. For this reason, minerals as important as selenium and their benefits have been forgotten by many athletes or simply people looking to improve their diets.
Certainly, selenium is an incredibly beneficial mineral for health , in addition to being its consumption an obligation for those who want to improve their diet and therefore, quality of life.
5 benefits of selenium
1. Reduces the risk of certain types of cancer
This powerful mineral reduces damage to the body’s DNA chains, improves the immune system and destroys cancer cells. Additionally, selenium is associated with reducing the counterproductive effects of chemotherapy.
Finally, multiple studies have yielded favorable conclusions for the consumption of selenium as a barrier against types of cancer such as colon, prostate and lung.
2. Protects the cardiovascular system
Selenium has anti-inflammatory powers that greatly reduce the risk of heart disease and clogged arteries.
The consumption of selenium supplements or foods that contain it seems to combat the effects of oxidative stress and inflammation of the coronary artery, so high levels of selenium in the blood are directly related to the health of the cardiovascular system.
3. Preserves mental health
Selenium has the incredible ability to prevent regenerative mental illnesses that affect larger and larger amounts. Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease seem to be related to oxidative stress in the body, which is why selenium turns out to be favorable.
In addition, the consumption of foods rich in selenium has been shown to improve verbal fluency and other mental conditions of cognitive impairment.
4. Improves the immune system
Studies related to the consumption of selenium in supplements or natural foods have associated considerable levels of selenium in the blood with a positive increase in the response of the immune system.
For patients with Hepatitis C or tuberculosis, the addition of foods rich in this nutrient, such as yellow fin tuna, oysters, chicken, sardines, or chicken eggs seems to be ideal.
5. Reduce asthma symptoms
Again, elevated levels of oxidative stress and inflammation can exacerbate symptoms in the asthmatic patient. Therefore, those who have considerable amounts of selenium in the blood benefit from its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant powers.
High levels of selenium in the blood, obtained by the consumption of foods rich in this nutrient, are strongly related to the improvement of asthma symptoms and the reduction in the amount of corticosteroid medications.
Conclution
Selenium is a mandatory nutrient in a healthy and complete diet. This mineral prevents multiple diseases and conditions by serving as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant in the body.
In all cases, high levels of selenium taken as a supplement or in foods rich in this nutrient, proved to be beneficial for the overall health of the person and the prevention of future degenerative diseases.
We leave you the best selenium supplement offers
References
- Kubala, J. 7 Science Based Health Benefits of Selenium. For Healthline [Revised January 2018].
