What Does Selenium Do In The Human Body?
Selenium is a critical component of the amino acid (part of a protein) selenocysteine (sometimes these are called “selenoproteins”). It has not been studied extensively, but in 1996 a correlation between taking selenium and cancer prevention in humans was demonstrated. This doesn’t mean you should go out and take megadoses; selenium in more than trace amounts is also a potent poison with effects similar to arsenic. When used properly, selenium is a free radical eliminator and antioxidant, and is helpful in the proper functioning of the thyroid glands. There is some evidence that selenium can prevent or help fight a number of diseases, including AIDS. There is also evidence that selenium may help fight heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Selenium generally comes from eating cereals, meat, meat, fish, eggs, liver, and Brazil nuts (which are exceptionally high, with as much as seven times the RDA per ounce). Plants grown in northern Nebraska and the Dakotas are naturally very high in
