ALL about SELENIUM--good information just came out

[Guest guest]

(I have frequently mentioned selenium here and it's importance for

your thyroid treatment--selenium improves the conversion of T4, to

T3. Below is the latest info to come out about selenium--it's a

great supplement to take!

And note the following from below: " North and South Dakota, Utah,

Colorado, Montana and Wyoming: Anyone who lives in these states and

eats ample amounts of locally grown fruits and vegetables daily is

probably getting a good selenium intake. But the rest of us are

probably not, unless we're taking a selenium supplement or a

multivitamin that contains selenium. " Janie)

Don't underestimate the dirt beneath your feet. Especially if

you're standing on farmland soil in the western U.S.

Soil contains a trace mineral called selenium. When you

consume food that's grown in selenium-rich soil, your body

is replenished with a nutrient that has been shown to help

fight autoimmune disorders, increase insulin efficiency, and

curb the mutation of viruses.

And if this were a late night infomercial, right about now I

would say, " But wait! That's not all you get! " Because

selenium also has excellent antioxidant qualities, it boosts the

antioxidant power of vitamin E, and it's been shown to

reduce the risk of several types of cancers by triggering the

activity of a tumor-suppressing gene.

And that's where today's e-Alert begins: Out west, with an

Arizona study that evaluates the association of selenium

intake with the reduced risk of one of the most common types

of cancer.

Researchers at the University of Arizona (UA) wanted to

expand on previous research, which had indicated that

selenium may reduce the risk of developing colorectal

tumors.

The UA team used data combined from three trials: the

Wheat Bran Fiber Trial, the Polyp Prevention Trial, and the

Polyp Prevention Study. Each of these projects examined the

effects of different nutritional factors on the prevention of

benign colorectal tumors in patients who previously had such

tumors removed during colonoscopy.

Medical records and blood tests of more than 1,700 subjects

were analyzed to determine tumor developments and

selenium concentrations. When the subjects were grouped

ranging from least blood concentration of selenium to

greatest, results showed that subjects with the highest blood

selenium values had " statistically significantly lower odds "

of developing a new tumor when compared to subjects with

the lowest blood selenium values.

The researchers also noted that each of the three trials

individually indicated selenium's protective effect against the

recurrence of tumors, and that those with the very highest

blood selenium value had more than a 40 percent reduced

risk of tumor recurrence compared to subjects with the very

lowest levels of selenium.

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The big six

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In the UA study - which appears in a November issue of the

Journal of the National Cancer Institute - the researchers note

that, given the limitations of the data from the three trials,

they were not able to pinpoint the selenium sources in the

subjects' blood samples. Therefore they couldn't draw any

conclusions about supplementing with selenium.

As I've noted in previous e-Alerts, in the U.S., selenium is

highly concentrated in the soil of only six states: North and

South Dakota, Utah, Colorado, Montana and Wyoming.

Anyone who lives in these states and eats ample amounts of

locally grown fruits and vegetables daily is probably getting a

good selenium intake. But the rest of us are probably not,

unless we're taking a selenium supplement or a multivitamin

that contains selenium.

The U.S. RDA for selenium is 55 mcg for women and 70

mcg for men, but the average diet falls far short of that

amount - especially if you don't eat produce from one of the

six states mentioned above. Research into the cancer-

preventive qualities of selenium indicates that a daily intake

needs to be around 200 mcg to insure adequate prevention.

Which brings up the issue of selenium toxicity.

Selenium comes with a general warning about high intake of

this nutrient. And while it's true that mega-dosing might

create problems, you would have to get more than 2,500 mcg

of selenium per day for an extended period to receive a toxic

amount, so the actual chances of getting a dangerous dose are

extremely slim.

In addition to fruits and vegetables, bread, fish and meat all

contain selenium. The real selenium powerhouse, however, is

the Brazil nut, delivering more than 800 mcg of selenium per

ounce.

[Guest guest]

I'm taking 200 mcg selenium capsule everytime I take my Armour. Also take it

with zinc. So that's 400 mcg selenium per day. I guess that's not a toxic

amount? Maybe I should only take it once a day with the morning thyroid dose?

From: loboshe

>>>The U.S. RDA for selenium is 55 mcg for women and 70 mcg for men, but the

average diet falls far short of that

amount ... Research into the cancer-

preventive qualities of selenium indicates that a daily intake

needs to be around 200 mcg to insure adequate prevention. Which brings up the

issue of selenium toxicity.

.....mega-dosing might create problems, you would have to get more than 2,500

mcg of selenium per day for an extended period to receive a toxic amount, so the

actual chances of getting a dangerous dose are extremely slim.>>>

[Guest guest]

Hi Caroline. The answer is in the last paragraph of mine that you

left. What you are taking is fine, but it would be fine to take it

once a day, too. Janie )

> I'm taking 200 mcg selenium capsule everytime I take my Armour.

Also take it with zinc. So that's 400 mcg selenium per day. I guess

that's not a toxic amount? Maybe I should only take it once a day

with the morning thyroid dose?

> From: loboshe

>

> >>>The U.S. RDA for selenium is 55 mcg for women and 70 mcg for

men, but the average diet falls far short of that

> amount ... Research into the cancer-

> preventive qualities of selenium indicates that a daily intake

> needs to be around 200 mcg to insure adequate prevention. Which

brings up the issue of selenium toxicity.

>

> .....mega-dosing might create problems, you would have to get

more than 2,500 mcg of selenium per day for an extended period to

receive a toxic amount, so the actual chances of getting a dangerous

dose are extremely slim.>>>

>

>

[Guest guest]

ok...that's a relief. Thanx.

From: loboshe

Hi Caroline. The answer is in the last paragraph of mine that you left. What

you are taking is fine, but it would be fine to take it once a day, too. Janie

)