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NutriPlus with Organic Selenium
In The News
Part 1 - Introduction to Organic Selenium : The Nutrient of the
New Millennium
(The Sun / HealthyLiving / Wednesday, Dec 12, 2001)
What is Selenium?
Selenium (Se) is a trace mineral that is required by our body in
only very small amounts, but it is of fundamental importance in
ensuring good health. International research has established that it
is an essential component for the human diet in the sustainment of
good health, particularly against cancer and heart disease, because
of its protective and preservative characteristics. Selenium
deficiency in our diets has also been shown to lead to an increased
susceptibility to diseases and ill-health. Being a trace element
Selenium cannot be destroyed, and therefore style of cooking
employed does not affect the level of Selenium present in the food
we prepare.
Why does our diet lack Selenium?
Selenium is a naturally occurring trace mineral that can be found in
the soil and food such as brazil nuts, walnuts, brewers yeast,
broccoli, cabbage, onions, garlic and mushrooms are rich in
Selenium. Other good sources of Selenium are organ meats and seafood
generally. Why then, has research shown that almost all the peoples
of the world to be suffering from an insufficient intake of
Selenium? The main reason for this is that in these modern times,
most of our food comes from farms cultivating the same plot of land
year after year. This constant cultivation of the land causes the
level of Selenium present in the soil to decrease as it is absorbed
by the plants and not replenished. Therefore, the lower availability
of Selenium in our diets can be attributed to low soil Selenium
levels or even low Selenium absorption in crops that are cultivated
in acidic and poorly aerated land. Further compounding the problem
is that modern day bio-engineered crop varieties are faster growing
with less root development time, which in turn reduces the
opportunity for such crops to accumulate Selenium from the soil.
Also, increased crop density and high-yielding crops have lead to
minerals in agricultural land to diminish at even faster rates.
What form of Selenium does our body require?
Selenium exists in two chemical forms in nature, Inorganic Selenium
and Organic Selenium. Inorganic Selenium can be found in different
minerals in the form of selenite, selenate and selenide as well as
in metallic form. In contrast, in vegetable feed ingredients,
Organic Selenium is an integral part of amino acids. Therefore, in
nature animals receive selenium mainly in the organic form. Research
has shown that Organic Selenium is far more beneficial for us as our
body absorbs and retains Organic Selenium at a better rate. The
table below will highlight the advantages of Organic Selenium vs.
Inorganic Selenium.
Organic Selenium vs. Inorganic Selenium
Organic Selenium:
•
In the form of seleno-amino acids
i.e. selenomethionine.
•
Is actively absorbed by amino acid routes.
•
More Organic Selenium is retained by our
bodies.
•
Our tissues store Organic Selenium and hold it
in reserve for times of greatest need, such as stress.
•
Organic Selenium is retained by our body in
useful form.
Inorganic Selenium:
•
In the form of mineral salt.
•
Is passively absorbed from small intestine.
•
Most of the unused Inorganic Selenium in our
body is excreted.
•
Only a small amount of Inorganic Selenium finds
its way into body protein.
•
Inorganic Selenium is poorly retained.
Why does our body require Selenium?
Selenium is a vital mineral that helps protect our bodies from the
damaging effects of free radicals, which are toxic by-products of
oxygen metabolism. Selenium is a component of several antioxidant
proteins including Glutathione Peroxidase, Superoxide Dismutase and
Catalase. Antioxidants act to neutralise free radicals which can
cause damage to cellular components including DNA. Antioxidants are
essential to human health as they help protect against environmental
carcinogens which cause cancer, and cardiovascular disease, protect
our skin from solar ray damage, and may be important in fighting the
effects of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Arthritis and other age-related
illnesses. Selenium is also said to improve fertility in humans.
..........................................................................................
Look out for Part Two next week on "What are the benefits of
Selenium consumption?"
