The Benefits of Selenium

Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but only required in small amounts. The antioxidant properties of selenium, like that of astaxanthin, help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. While the major dietary source of selenium comes from plants grown in selenium-rich soils, the best source is seafood.

The US recommended daily allowance (RDA) for selenium is 55 micrograms (mcg), for men and women aged 19 or older, and the Daily Value (DV) is set at 70 micrograms.  Smart Salmon contains about 85 % of the RDA per serving.

Selenium is associated with a number of health benefits. 

1. Some studies suggest that those with higher levels of selenium in their blood may suffer from less cancer of the lung, colon and prostate as well as reducing the number of deaths from skin cancer. 
2. Its antioxidant properties are thought to help prevent coronary heart disease. More studies are required for a conclusive opinion, but oxidative stress from free radicals is thought to play a role in higher LDL or “bad" cholesterol that promotes plaque build-up in coronary arteries. Selenium is one of a group of antioxidants that may help limit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and thereby help to prevent coronary artery disease.
   
3. Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers appear to have reduced selenium levels in their blood. In addition, some individuals with arthritis have a low selenium intake. Selenium, as an antioxidant, may help to relieve symptoms of arthritis by controlling levels of free radicals although more studies are needed.
4. Selenium’s antioxidant properties are believed to help reduce formation of the brain plaque that destroys brain cells and can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

Perhaps most important, selenium has been touted as seafood’s built-in anti-mercury safeguard.  Some studies suggest that methyl mercury can be rendered harmless in fish that contain high levels of selenium, like sockeye salmon.