Selenomethionine

Natural Sources of Selenium

Selenium can be found in nuts, cereal, legumes, beef, chicken, seafood, and dairy. Brazil nuts are one of the sources of selenium.

In fact, Brazil nuts are so high in selenium that caution should be used because eating too many of them can lead to toxic levels of selenium.

The body needs very small amounts of selenium. The RDA for selenomethionine is 400 micrograms or ug’s for a healthy adult.

Selenomethionine and Thyroid Function

Selenomethionine has been shown to reduce thyroid inflammation caused by anti-thyroid peroxidase. This type of inflammation is associated with an autoimmune disease caused Hashimoto’s disease.

A Greek research study showed that patients who received 200 mcg of selenomethionine for 6 months had almost 10% in reduction of their anti-thyroid peroxidase levels. If they continued the treatment for an additional 6 months they had a total of 18% reduction.

Patients who stopped taking the supplement saw a 5% increase over the following 6 months.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition performed a study on selenomethionine’s effects on thyroid hormone levels. These hormones are commonly called T3 and T4. After 12 months there was no significant change in serum levels of T3 or T4, but there was a drop in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels.

The results suggested that selenomethionine cannot effectively treat nonspecific hypothyroidism. This is not the same as the study on anti-thyroid peroxidase levels.

The Immune System and Selenomethionine

Selenomethionine has an important function in the immune system. It boosts white blood cells that attack cancer cells and microorganisms. It also stimulates the thymus gland and increases lymphocytes ability to work properly.

There are 3 types of lymphocytes: natural killers, thymus cells, and bone cells. Natural killer cells attack tumors and viral infections. Thymus cells produce cytokines to direct immune system responses.

Bone cell lymphocytes produce antibodies to attack bacteria and viruses. After thymus and bone cells neutralize an infection they create a barrier to prevent a reinfection.

Selenomethionine is a powerful antioxidant as well. This can boost your immune system and promote liver health. Selenomethione helps fight infections that cause colds and flus.

Selenium Deficiency And Selenomethionine

Selenium deficiency is a rare but can be very serious and even result in death if untreated. It can result in conditions such as fatigue, hyperthyroidism, miscarriages, and loss of mental dexterity.

Keshan disease and Kashin-Beck disease can also result from a selenium deficiency. Keshan affects children usually and is a virus which leads to the weakening of the heart and its muscles.

Kashin-Beck disease occurs when you have both a selenium deficiency and an iodine deficiency. It breaks down cartilage.

Selenium deficiencies usually result from consuming foods grown in nutrient-poor soil. People who have disorders that do not allow proper absorption of nutrients may also be at risk.

For people at risk studies have shown prevent selenium deficiency with selenomethionine is better than trying to replace it later. This is because your body processes and stores selenium before it uses it.

Doctors can treat selenium deficiency after you have it. They will need to run tests to monitor your levels. Some damage may not be reversible.

There are also wellness tests you can purchase that use saliva to test many nutrient levels including selenium. You collect and mail samples to a laboratory for results. These tests should only be used for informational purposes and not a sole diagnosis.

Side Effects of Selenomethionine

Getting selenomethionine from food sources is considered best. Some researchers believe that more testing needs to be done to determine the safest amount of selenomethione supplementation for the body. Right now it is not recommended to exceed 400 mcg a day.

While selenomethionine is a necessary part of a healthy diet, too much supplementation may be dangerous. Excessive amounts of this nutrient may cause vomiting, nausea, pain, and fatigue. You may also experience weight loss, irritability, and alopecia.

Selenomethionine may have some drug interactions. If you are taking anticoagulants, schizophrenia drugs and contraceptives you should consult a doctor before taking selenomethionine supplements.

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