The Crucial Role of Selenium in Detox

[Guest guest]

The Crucial Role of Selenium in Detox JoAnn Guest May 06, 2004 17:05 PDT

 

Selenium--Powerful Detox

 

The buildup of toxins in our bodies over the course of years often

results in degenerative diseases. Just as emotional traumas that have

been buried for years tend to surface in midlife, asking that we examine

and change our learned behavior, so too do physical symptoms surface to

reveal the need for change in how we care for our bodies.

 

In either case, if we ignore the signals that something is amiss, that

something requires our attention, we do so at our own peril. Denying

pain inevitably leads to more profound pain. Unexamined fears eventually

assume monstrous proportions.

 

Clinging to habits that do not support growth and life bind us instead

to stagnation and death.

 

Clearing accumulated toxins is believed to free the body from undue

burden so that it is able to function better and regain the energy

necessary to heal itself.

 

Though fasting and cleansing may be one step, detoxification is not a

single event but an ongoing process that supports the body's natural

ability to effectively dispel toxins on a daily basis.

 

Part of that process is consciously limiting the toxins that enter the

body in the first place. Restricting or eliminating use of the usual

culprits --

caffeine, refined sugar, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, synthetic or

petroleum-based body products, and household chemicals --

is a good place to start.

 

Eating an organic natural-foods diet, drinking sufficient amounts of

pure water, and getting regular exercise are actions that begin to

facilitate detoxification.

 

Our bodies adjust best to gradual change, so incorporating these

practices into everyday life is recommended before embarking on a more

stringent course for flushing toxins out of your system.

 

 

The language of detoxification often suggests an attitude of

deprivation, restriction, and penance -- as if fasting and cleansing

are the price to be paid for poor choices, whether we made them years

ago or days ago. That attitude conjures images of a strict parent

demanding that we be responsible for taking care of what we have been

given.

 

Perhaps that model will spur us to compliance in caring for our

physical bodies, but it does not encourage mental and emotional health.

 

Truly caring for the self feels like nurturing, not like deprivation

or punishment.

Small changes that feel like indulgences: long silent walks, a regular

massage, and/or access to a steam room or sauna may provide a point at

which caring for your physical self is a positive experience for your

whole self. Begin there. Other shifts will occur.

 

Toxins are substances that interrupt or completely block the

normal metabolic functions of the body.

 

Metabolic functions include moving nutrients into our cells, processing

and eliminating wastes, producing energy, making repairs, and growing

replacement cells.

 

Detoxification is the processing and elimination of toxins from the

body, and it is an essential part of regaining and maintaining good

health.

 

Food provides the body with nutrients, which are the building blocks

for health. Nutrients are released from food through digestion.

Poorly digested foods will not only limit the amount of nutrients

available to be absorbed,

but will increase the toxic burden on the body through fermentation.

 

Undigested foods will not merely pass unchanged out of the body, but

will ferment and produce gases and

other toxic byproducts, which will be reabsorbed by the body.

 

These digestion originating endogenous toxins, along with exogenous

toxins originating outside of the body,

will burden and limit normal bodily functions.

 

Toxic substances include: heavy metals, such as mercury and lead;

solvents,

such as benzene; plastics, such as styrene; hormones and

chemicals acting as hormones; and, free radical compounds.

 

I consider free radicals to be the number one class of toxins.

 

A free radical is an " unbalanced " chemical structure that will pull

electrons from other structures, damaging them in the process.

Free radicals may originate from poor digestion, uncontrolled emotional

stress, and pollution from the world around us.

 

Oxygen has the ability to pull electrons off of other chemical

structures, which is necessary for our efficient cellular energy

production and the operation of our immune system.

 

While oxygen is essential for life, if uncontrolled it will create

toxic free radicals and increase our risk of developing diseases.

Free radicals will act against our bodies by directly " burning " our

cells, damaging our DNA and increasing our risk of developing diseases

through the altering of

our " genetic expression " .

 

Altered genetic expression may lead to the emergence of dormant

diseases such as cancer, Hepatitis C, and AIDS. Virtually every person

has symptoms of toxic load.

 

Selenium's contribution to the immune system is to *protect* the cells

against " damage " caused by oxygen-free radicals.

 

Selenium is an essential trace element which is normally obtained from

the diet.

However, it was not until 1979 that it was recognized as a

requirement in human nutrition. Previous to this time it was regarded as

essential to animals only. The first major breakthrough was achieved by

Dr Klaus Schwartz who discovered that liver necrosis in rats could be

prevented with the aid of a kidney extract, found to contain selenium.

As a result of Schwartz' discovery, selenium became the object of an

intense programme of research, which continues today.

 

In the 70's selenium deficient agricultural land presented serious

problems for the Finnish cattle industry, which were eradicated by the

addition of selenium to fertilizers and cattle feed.

 

Selenium has now been discovered to be part of the enzyme system that

controls " prostaglandins " , which have widespread functions in the body.

 

Studies on animals show that selenium reduces high blood pressure and,

when combined with Vitamin E, reduces angina pectoris.

 

Selenium deficient animals do not 'reproduce' and in fact half a man's

body stores of selenium are found in the testes and seminal glands.

Breast milk contains up to six times as much selenium as cow's milk and

twice as much Vitamin E.

 

Selenium is the principal mineral anti-oxidant and free radical

*deactivator*. It combines with glutathione and Vitamin E to form

gluathione peroxidase, the body's free radical controller. Other

factors include zinc, manganese and copper.

 

Prevention of infections and blood clots.

 

It would appear that selenium increases the *beneficial*

prostaglandins (a regulatory factor in the coagulation of the blood) and

'decreases' the *formation* of harmful prostaglandins

(e.g. prostaglandins causing inflammation in the joints). Low selenium

levels are associated with ECG abnormalities indicative of

heart problems.

 

Selenium prevents cancer.

 

Selenium supplementation has been effective in the prevention of many

forms of cancer.

 

Selenium alone can give a 50% success rate, but combined with vitamins A

& E this rises to a 90% success rate.

The incidence of cancer is more common in a sub-group of the population

with low selenium blood levels.

 

As has already been seen, selenium protects cells from damage by

oxygen-free radicals. It also decreases the carcinogenic *viruses* and

inhibits the *division* of cancer cells.

 

 

The Link between Vitamin E and Selenium

Selenium is synergistic with Vitamin E, i.e. the beneficial effect of

combined selenium and Vitamin E is greater that the added effect of each

single nutrient.

 

The enzyme glutathione peroxidase *requires* both selenium and Vitamin E

to function. The most efficient ratio is 100 mcg Vitamin E to 25mcg

Selenium .

(Selenium is 50-100 times more powerful than Vitamin E.)

 

 

Sources of Selenium

 

Good sources include cold water fish, raw brazil nuts, Whole grains

and brown rice contain significant proportions, but levels

vary, depending on the soil content of the area in which they are

grown.

 

However,remember that selenium is also *lost* in processing. Brown rice

has fifteen times higher levels than white rice and wholemeal organic

bread has twice the levels of white bread.

 

We've told you about studies that have shown how a sufficient selenium

intake may lowe rthe risk of prostate, breast, colorectal and lung

cancers.

Now a recent study from Indiana University Cancer Center and Indiana

University Schoolof Medicine has explored the theory that selenium

activates an important *tumor-suppressing* gene called p53.

 

Scientists estimate that the p53 gene is mutated in as much as 70% of

all cancers.

 

In experiments performed on human lung cancer cells, the Indiana

researchers used selenomethionine, the major component of selenium, to

treat cells that contained p53 genes, and other cells that were

deficient in p53.

 

Results showed conclusively that *selenomethionine* not only *activated*

 

the p53 protein,but also protected cells containing p53.

Based on these findings, the researchers speculate that

selenium therapy may act as a cancer preventive by enhancing

the *vitality* of p53 genes.

 

When the p53 genes function properly, cells are more likely to *repair*

the DNA damage that may promote cancer.

 

-----------------------------

The versatile antioxidant

-----------------------------

In addition to its excellent cancer fighting abilities, many

studies have shown that selenium's antioxidant properties may

also fight 'autoimmune' disorders and help 'increase' insulin

efficiency.

 

Other research has concluded that selenium may be able to stop viruses

from mutating and becoming more potent.

Clearly, the importance of selenium in our diets can't be overstated.

 

Plant foods are the major dietary sources of selenium, but the amount of

selenium in any plant depends on the selenium content of the soil it's

grown in.

For instance, soils on the high plains of North America have high

amounts of selenium, while the soil in much of China contains low

amounts. So while garlic tends to contain good amounts of this mineral,

the amounts vary depending on the soil the garlic is grown in.

 

The Brazil nut is the undisputed selenium champ, with one ounce

containing as much as 840 micrograms (mcg) - well over the government

recommended daily intake of 50 mcg.

 

However, Dr. Martin L. Smith, the author of the Indiana study, noted

that the average diet probably falls short of 50 mcg per day.

Furthermore, Dr. Smith believes that in order to reap the cancer

preventive qualities of selenium, intake needs to be around 200 mcg per

day.

 

In other words, if you can't or don't want to add a quarter ounce of

Brazil nuts to your daily diet, you might want to add selenium to your

supplement regimen.

_________________

 

Post subject: Brazil Nut:

Anti Cancer, Antioxidant & Immuno-Stimulant.

--This

is one of the richest sources of selenium and vitamin E -

powerful antioxidants with anti-aging properties that can help

guard against many disorders including heart disease and cancer.

 

The brazil nut is also extremely nutritious with high levels of

protein, unsaturated fat,selenium, zinc and other minerals, plus

substantial quantities of vitamins E and B-complex.

But it is the combination of vitamin E with selenium that gives the nut

its special immune enhancing properties.

 

These two antioxidants work together each improving the performance

of the other to boost immune system function. Antioxidants prevent

cell damage by mopping up harmful free radicals thus preventing the

reactions that can damage DNA.

 

Accumulated damage by free radicals is known to be an important factor

in ageing and disease and the role of antioxidants in the prevention of

illness is well recognised.

 

Antioxidants play a preventative role in many conditions including:

Asthma, heart disease, immune-dificiency disorders and cancer.

 

Selenium enhances immunity by activating an enzyme in the body which

inhibits selenium levels. This in turn affects the immune system

because a low level of selenium affects the normal antibody responses to

infection.

 

So even a moderate increase in selenium intake - a few nuts each

day for instance - is beneficial to the body's self defence

mechanisms and can help to reduce the risks of:

Cancer, heart disease and fungal infections, such as candidiasis.

 

Six brazil nuts provide four times your daily minimum requirement of

Selenium.

________________

 

As you know Selenium is a very important mineral,however it is a trace

mineral. Dr. Weil does not advise taking more than 300 mcgs of this

supplement each day. The rest of it can be obtained very easily from

fresh raw organic foods.

 

In my opinion selenium is much more easily metabolized from foods

anyway, notably organic eggs (organic is best due to the harmful

effects of the hormones and antibiotics in traditional eggs which only

intersperse more toxins throughout the body),

seafoods such as alaskan salmon and sardines in water, mushrooms

(medicinal mushrooms are best) and wheat germ.

 

Selenium is also present in Brewer's yeast and the sea vegetables that

are so prevalent in Japanese macrobiotic diets (kelp,dulse, etc), and

brazils and other raw nuts.

 

Brazil nuts are highest in selenium content, with 8 mcgs of selenium

in just one of them. The selenium in foods has no known toxicity.

 

Shari Lieberman, Ph.D. claims that one can ingest up to 2,400 mcgs of

selenium in foods with no adverse effects and Brazil nuts is by far the

best way to get selenium, although organic eggs are also an excellent

choice.

If organic is not available, farmers markets offer hormone/ antibiotic

free eggs as well as fresh organic produce.

Horizon website is a good source of information regarding the value of

eating organic eggs.

 

www.horizonorganic.com

 

Almonds and cashews are rated moderately high in selenium although

brazils are known to be best .

 

It is good to remember that Vitamin E works synergistically with

selenium, both in supplements and foods. There are seeds such as sesame

and pumpkin seeds which are beneficial as well.

 

 

_________________

 

Post subject: Selenium

-Shari Lieberman Ph.D

excerpted from " The Complete Vitamin and Mineral Book "

 

 

 

Selenium is present in all the tissues of the body, but is concentrated

most highly in the kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas, and testes.

 

People do not consume enough selenium both because of the type of diet

they eat, and because of the low selenium content of the soil in which

their food is grown.

 

The selenium content of soil varies widely, with many areas showing

serious depletion. In fact, there have been several reports of selenium

deficiencies in livestock raised on selenium-depleted soil.

 

FUNCTIONS AND USES

Cancer

Selenium’s best-known and perhaps most important biological function

relates to its role as an antioxidant and anti-cancer mineral.

As we have seen in other chapters, free radicals damage our cells,

possibly leading to the development of cancer and other degenerative

diseases.

 

Selenium is an activating component of the enzyme glutathione

peroxidase, which protects our cells from this damage.

 

Many animal studies have proven that selenium deficiency increases the

incidence and rate of growth of cancers in animals that are either

exposed to a variety of potent carcinogens or receive transplanted

tumors. Companion studies have shown that high selenium intake protects

against these cancers.

 

For example, in one study in which rats were exposed to a potent

carcinogen, only 15 percent of those who were also given selenium

developed liver cancer as compared with 90 percent of the

unsupplemented rats. In another study, the occurrence of cancer was 10

percent in the supplemented group versus 80 percent in the control

group.

 

In yet another animal study, selenium supplementation reduced colon

cancer incidence by more than 50 percent.

 

In another study, selenium protected against UV-induced skin damage

and cancer, retarding the onset and number of skin lesions, and

reducing inflammation, blistering, and pigmentation.

 

In. humans, there is ample epidemiological evidence that high selenium

is correlated with a lower incidence of many types of cancer. For

instance researchers have found that cancer risk is significantly lower

in people living in areas with selenium-rich soil, in people with a

high-selenium food supply, and in people with higher blood levels of

selenium, when compared with people with lower intakes and blood levels.

 

 

Selenium intakes in the people studied were close to 750 micrograms per

day, with no toxic side effects noted. In a survey that spanned

twenty-seven countries, including the United States, it was found that

the cancer death rate was lower in those people whose typical diets were

high in selenium.

 

This and other cancer studies indicate that selenium is especially

protective against cancer of the breast, colon, and lung. Data also

suggests protection against tumors of the ovaries, cervix, rectum,

bladder, esophagus, pancreas, skin, liver, and prostate, as well as

against leukemia.

 

Since 1969, it has been known that the blood levels of cancer patients

are low in selenium. In general, cancer patients with

lower-than-average selenium levels have a greater number of primary

tumors, more recurrences, more distant metastases (tumors that have

spread to distant parts of the body), and a shortened survival time.

 

In a study of 12,000 people conducted in Finland, the risk of fatal

cancer in people with the lowest levels of serum selenium was nearly

six times higher than that in people with the highest selenium

concentrations.

 

Like other nutrients, of course, selenium cannot do its work alone. In

several studies, it has been shown that selenium and vitamin E-and

perhaps vitamin A, too—have a synergistic effect. For example, in one

study, male smokers who died of cancer had lower levels of serum

selenium, vitamin A, and vitamin E, when compared with healthy control

subjects.

 

It is well known that vitamin E enhances the antioxidant effect of

selenium. In. addition, it has been found that supplementation with

selenium alone and with selenium plus vitamin E in excess of the RDAs

stimulates the immune system in experimental animals.

 

This effect is particularly pronounced when the diet is high in

essential fatty acids (omegas)-a factor that has been linked to a

higher incidence of certain cancers.

 

These studies show promise for the prevention and possible treatment of

cancer with selenium supplementation. When combined with other

supplements, the anticancer effect may be even greater. The National

Cancer Institute is conducting ongoing " chemopreventive " trials of

several individual nutrients, including selenium, vitamin E, and

vitamin A.

 

However, often these trials are limited to 200 micrograms of selenium

per day, which may be too low a dose to assess the potential protective

effect of this mineral. Larger doses of selenium have been shown to be

protective in animals, and safe in humans.

In addition, we are not sure of the extent to which selenium

 

supplementation influences the later stages of cancer development. If

its influence is strongest in the early stage, it will be very

difficult for these trials to prove the connection between low selenium

and cancer because of the long latency period for most cancers.

 

(For example, it may take up to fourteen years for a single breast

cancer cell to multiply and produce a tumor large enough to be detected

by currently available diagnostic methods.)

 

Finally, evidence of the synergism of nutrients has led many

researchers to emphasize the need to consider several nutrients in any

given diet and cancer study, instead of focusing on just one nutrient

per study.

 

Cardiovascular Disease

 

In humans, a link has been found between selenium and heart disease.

People found to have overt selenium deficiencies-alcoholics with

cirrhosis of the liver, and people receiving long-term intravenous

feeding-have also been found to suffer from heart problems that respond

to selenium supplementation.

 

In eastern Finland, which has one of the highest mortality rates from

heart disease in the world, it was found that low selenium in the blood

was associated with up to a six- or sevenfold increase in the risk of

death from heart disease.

 

Functions in Muscular Dystrophy and Rheumatoid Arthritis

 

A Danish study examined patients with rheumatoid arthritis and found

that they had lower levels of selenium. Those with the lowest levels

had the more severe form of this disease.

 

Moreover, a recent study conducted in Japan suggests that selenium and

vitamin E may enhance the responsiveness of arthritis patients to

conventional treatment. A fascinating study conducted in Scandinavia

showed a correlation between low selenium levels and the incidence and

severity of muscular dystrophy; one patient who was treated with

selenium supplements showed considerable improvement after one year.

 

Finnish researchers have also conducted a study on elderly patients,

who were given large doses of selenium and vitamin E for one year.

 

After two months, researchers found an obvious improvement in their

patients’ mental well-being, including less fatigue, depression, and

anxiety, and more mental alertness, motivation, and self-care.

 

Finally, selenium has been shown to protect against the toxic effects of

mercury, arsenic, and copper.

 

RDIs AND DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS

Selenium deficiency symptoms may include muscular weakness and

discomfort.

 

Recent studies have shown that people with celiac disease-an inborn

inability to digest glutenare at high risk for low selenium, along with

other nutrients, either because their low gluten diets are also low in

selenium, or because of their absorption problems.

Down’s syndrome patients have also been found to have low levels of

selenium and other antioxidants.

 

In one study, refinery workers were found to have low selenium levels in

spite of their dietary intake of 217 micrograms per day, which is more

than three times higher than the RDI.

 

This study indicates that because of the workers’ exposure to free

radicals on the job, their bodies were utilizing large amounts of

selenium to produce the protective enzyme glutathione peroxidase.

 

This suggests that exposure to toxic environmental chemicals increases

the requirement for this mineral.

 

Food Sources: There are no accurate available measurements of the

selenium content of foods. However, it appears that the richest sources

of selenium are seafoods and organ meats-if the animals of origin ate a

diet high in selenium.

 

Whole grains can be good sources, but, similarly, this depends on the

selenium content of the soil in which they were grown.

Fruits and vegetables generally contain very low amounts of selenium.

 

The refining process strips foods of much of their selenium content.

In one study, it was found that a highly refined diet contains 61

percent less selenium than does a diet rich in unrefined foods.

 

Cooking also reduces the content significantly, especially if the

cooking water is discarded. Vitamin C seems to enhance the absorption of

selenium.

 

SUPPLEMENTS

 

Selenium is most often available as an individual supplement, although

some multivitamin-mineral formulas are beginning to include this

mineral.

 

I recommend selenium in the form of selenomethionine, which is

extracted from selenium-rich yeast or ocean plants. This form appears to

be the most absorbable.

 

OPTIMUM DAILY INTAKE-ODI

 

For optimum general health, the basic Optimum Daily Intake for selenium

is:

100-400 mcg for men and women living in low-selenium areas

(this includes coastal areas and glaciated areas)

50-200 mcg for men and women living in high-selenium areas

 

 

The above is excerpted from the book

" The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book " , by Shari Lieberman, Ph.D and Nancy

Bruning, Avery Publishing, 1997

_________________

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The complete " Whole Body " Health line consists of the " AIM GARDEN TRIO "

Ask About Health Professional Support Series: AIM Barleygreen

 

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/AIM.html

 

PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

We have made every effort to ensure that the information included in these pages

is accurate. However, we make no guarantees nor can we assume any responsibility

for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, or

process discussed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at HotJobs