Antioxidants are substances found in meals that stop cell deterioration brought on by free radicals. Free radicals are naturally produced by-products of bodily functions including metabolism on a daily basis. Free radicals frequently receive a bad rap, although they are vital to your health. They carry out crucial tasks, like keeping your body healthy. However, factors like stress, alcohol consumption, and smoking might result in a surplus of free radicals. Oxidative stress results from this, harming healthy cells.

Chronic diseases like heart disease, Alzheimer's, and cancer, as well as early aging and the risk of stroke, have all been related to oxidative stress. By controlling the number of free radicals, antioxidants like selenium assist in reducing oxidative stress. They function by scavenging surplus free radicals and shielding cells from oxidative stress-related harm.

Selenium helps lessen oxidative stress in addition to reducing the incidence of some malignancies. Selenium's capacity to lessen DNA damage and oxidative stress, strengthen your immune system, and eliminate cancer cells has been credited with this. Having a high blood level of selenium was linked to a lower risk of several cancers, including breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancers, according to a study of 69 studies involving over 350,000 participants.

It's important to remember that this impact was only linked to selenium that was consumed naturally through food rather than supplements. However, some data indicate that selenium supplementation may lessen negative effects in patients receiving radiation therapy. For instance, one study revealed that giving women with uterine and cervical cancer oral selenium supplementation enhanced their general quality of life and decreased radiation-induced diarrhea.

Due to the association between low selenium levels and an increased risk of heart disease, a diet high in selenium may help maintain heart health. A 50% increase in blood selenium levels was linked to a 24% lower risk of heart disease in an analysis of 25 observational studies. One of the major risk factors for heart disease, inflammation, may be reduced in your body by selenium. For instance, an analysis of 16 research with strict controls, involving more than 433,000 heart disease patients, revealed that taking selenium supplements reduced levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP).

Additionally, it raised levels of the potent antioxidant glutathione peroxidase. This suggests that selenium may help lessen the risk of heart disease by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in your body. The development of plaque in arteries, also known as atherosclerosis, has been associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Strokes, heart attacks, and heart disease are just a few of the hazardous health issues that atherosclerosis can cause. Including foods high in selenium in your diet is a fantastic approach to minimizing oxidative stress and inflammation.

Alzheimer's disease is a terrible sickness that impairs thinking and conduct while also causing memory loss. In the US, it is the sixth most common cause of death. Alzheimer's patients are becoming more numerous. Therefore, it is crucial to develop ways to stop this degenerative illness. Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease are among the neurological conditions that oxidative stress is thought to play a role in both the development and progression of. Numerous investigations have revealed that selenium levels in the blood are lower in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Additionally, some studies have shown that antioxidants, which may be found in both food and dietary supplements, may help Alzheimer's patients remember things better. In a tiny study, it was discovered that giving patients with mild cognitive impairment one Brazil nut per day as a supplement enhanced verbal fluency and other mental abilities. Furthermore, a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease has been linked to the Mediterranean diet, which is heavy in foods high in selenium, such as seafood and almonds.

For your thyroid gland to operate properly, selenium is crucial. In actuality, thyroid tissue has the highest concentration of selenium of any human organ. This potent mineral plays a crucial part in the creation of thyroid hormones and aids in defending the thyroid from oxidative damage. Being able to grow and develop normally depends on having a functioning thyroid gland. Selenium deficiency has been linked to thyroid disorders like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a form of hypothyroidism when the thyroid gland is attacked by the immune system.

Low serum levels of selenium were linked to a higher risk of hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis, according to an observational study including more than 6,000 patients. Supplements containing selenium may also be helpful for persons with Hashimoto's disease, according to certain research. According to one study, consuming selenium pills every day for three months reduced thyroid antibodies. It also helped patients with Hashimoto's illness feel better emotionally and generally. Before selenium supplements are suggested for those with Hashimoto's disease, more research is necessary.

Your immune system recognizes and fends off possible dangers to keep your body healthy. These consist of parasites, viruses, and bacteria. In maintaining the health of your immune system, selenium is crucial. This antioxidant assists your body in reducing oxidative stress, which lowers inflammation and improves immunity. Increased selenium levels in the blood have been linked to improved immunological function, according to studies. The deficit, on the other hand, has been demonstrated to impair immune cell activity and may cause a sluggish immunological response.

Supplements have been proven to reduce hospitalizations and improve symptoms for patients with HIV, whereas studies have linked deficiencies to a higher risk of death and disease progression in those with the virus. Supplemental selenium may also support immune system vigor in those with hepatitis C, TB, and the flu.

The airways that carry air into and out of the lungs are impacted by asthma, a chronic illness. Wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing are some of the symptoms that result from these airways becoming irritated and starting to narrow. Increased levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in the body have been linked to asthma. According to some research, selenium may help lessen the symptoms of asthma because of its capacity to reduce inflammation. According to research, selenium levels in the blood are lower in patients with asthma.

In fact, research found that patients with asthma who had greater blood selenium levels had better lung function than those who had lower levels. Supplemental selenium may also lessen asthmatic symptoms. For instance, one study discovered that providing 200 mcg of selenium daily to asthma sufferers decreased their need for corticosteroid drugs to manage their symptoms. To properly comprehend selenium's function in the onset and management of asthma, however, more extensive investigations are required due to the contradictory nature of the available evidence.