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Selenium has been considered toxic for many decades. Only in the mid-twentieth century, the beneficial effect of this element on the human body was discovered. Now we also know that most Poles suffer from selenium deficiency. And with the selenium deficit, the risk of many diseases, including cancer ones, increases.
Seleniumis one of the micronutrients necessary for the proper development and functioning of our body. It must be supplied with food, but the content of this element in food products depends on its amount in the soil. Unfortunately, Poland is one of the selenium-poor countries. And this means that most of us have a low concentration of selenium in the blood serum.
How does this translate into our he alth? What are the risks for people with selenium deficiency? We talk about it with prof. dr. hab. n. med. Jan Lubiński, a world-renowned geneticist.
- The widespread interest in selenium began when it was proven that the appropriate concentration in the blood can protect us from cancer. What are the functions of selenium in the body?
Prof. Jan Lubiński: To put it briefly, the current data clearly show that in people who have too low or too high selenium concentration, the risk of diseases, especially cancer, is several times higher than in people with the correct concentration of this element. It is similar in the case of cataracts - selenium deficiency increases the risk of the disease. But let's go back to the selenium function. I believe that counteracting oxidative stress is the most important. It is worth explaining here what it is. Oxidative stress is a process by which the balance between oxidants (free radicals) and antioxidants (antioxidants) is disturbed. Disorders that arise in the body under the influence of oxidative stress are characteristic of neoplasm and inflammatory changes. Selenium inhibits the multiplication of cancer cells. Secondly, I would mention its beneficial effects on the thyroid gland. For example, in women with Hashimoto's goiter, the administration of selenium often eliminates the problem, because the element regulates the synthesis of hormones produced by the thyroid gland. The third role of selenium is to increase the overall immunity of the body by stimulating the immune system. Another advantage, extremely important for men, is a good influence on the maturation of sperm. 10% of male infertility is the resultlow selenium levels in the body. The condition of our skin and hair depends on the proper level of selenium, but not only that. I can document that after the level of selenium in the body is balanced, for example, psoriasis changes. The right concentration of selenium protects us against cataracts. At a low level, the risk of cataracts in women is 5 times higher than in people with the normal concentration of this element. In men - 8 times higher. It is known from the medical literature that people with Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, i.e. neurodegenerative diseases, have low selenium levels. In addition, the correct level of selenium means a lower risk of coronary heart disease. Finally, I would like to add that selenium has the ability to bind heavy metals, i.e. pathogenic elements such as cadmium, mercury or lead.
J.L .: Most Poles have too low a selenium concentration, at the level of 70 µg / l, and the optimal concentration should be: 75-85 µg / l for women, and 85-120 µg / l for men. Only such a level of this element in the body can effectively protect us against cancer. Again - the lower the selenium concentration, the higher the risk of cancer. This regularity applies to very common neoplasms, such as lung, colon, pancreatic, stomach, breast and prostate cancer. In order to obtain the optimal concentration of selenium daily, we should usually enrich our diet with 25-50 µg of the element, either in the form of a directionally diversified menu, or in the form of selenite preparations, which can be purchased in pharmacies.
J.L .: From the determination of the selenium level. Such a test can be performed under the National He alth Fund. They can also be done privately. In our laboratories, it costs just over PLN 50. It is enough to report to the laboratory on an empty stomach and donate blood. The sample must be centrifuged in time after collection, but this is already being monitored by the lab technicians. This is extremely important because exceeding the centrifugation time gives a false (usually too high) result of selenium concentration, as it will be produced from decaying erythrocytes. The test should be performed by each of us and, depending on the obtained result, start selening or not.
J.L .: It should be like that, although it is not that simple. In the case of selenium, we know that eliminating the deficiency lowers the risk of cancer. But in people whohave normal selenium levels, this can lead to an increased risk of cancer. From our observations, but also from research conducted around the world, it is known that the level of selenium below 60 µg / l is a high risk of cancer. In Poland, we have 5% of such people, i.e. about 2 million compatriots. They have a 5 to 10-fold increased risk of cancer.
J.L .: I am a supporter of one-component preparations so that there is no risk that we will help each other and harm the other. After all, each of us has different needs in this regard. Someone needs more iron, someone else needs zinc. I have the most experience with our preparation, i.e. with Sel-BRCA1 drops. Depending on the starting selenium concentration, take one or two drops a day. A check-up is performed after three months. The drops cost about PLN 50, but the packaging is sufficient (when taking 2 drops a day) for six months.
J.L .: In my opinion, for the rest of my life. Adjusting to the optimal selenium level usually takes 3 months. After this time, the concentration of the element must be checked. But after stopping the preparation, selenium levels will drop, which means this is a reversible process.
J.L .: In theory, yes, but diet alone may not be enough. Applying a special diet requires a lot of discipline. I know from experience that it doesn't work. Selenation is easier, less restrictive. Of course, you should eat foods rich in selenium, but it is also beneficial to use a selenium supplement. We tested around 100 different products, checking their selenium content. It turned out that the most selenium is in dried porcini mushrooms, but you can't eat too much of them, because there will be problems with digestion. We recommend Brazil nuts because they also contain a lot of selenium. What surprised us most was that there is a lot of selenium in sausages, which are not recommended by nutritionists. Why is it like that? And because leather is used in the production of sausages. It is similar with the pate, because liver is added to it. 100 g of sausages or liver pies contain 20 µg of selenium. There is also a lot of selenium in eggs (7.5 µg in one egg), dried cranberries, pears, and plums.
ImportantWhat to eat to replenish selenium deficiencies
The amount of selenium in food products depends primarily on how much it is in the soil. The most of this element is found in Brazil nuts - only one covers a dayour body's needs. But a good source is also salmon (in 10 grams 32.2 µg of selenium), whole chicken eggs (one is 23.3 µg of selenium) or buckwheat (10 grams is 20 µg of selenium).
According to an expertprof. dr hab. n. med. Jan Lubiński, geneticist, head of the Department of Genetics and Pathomorphology of the Medical University of Warsawmonthly "Zdrowie"