Choosing the Best Selenium Supplement

The body is an incredibly intricate piece of machinery. And while it is often perceived as being completely indestructible--and many of us treat it as if it is--this isn’t really the case.

To maintain health, function, and efficiency, at any one time the body is relying on the effective workings of hundreds upon thousands of physiological processes. From the production and function of hormones, to the maintenance of metabolic processes at a cellular level, the body is entirely dependent on the synergistic workings of these reactions.

And what do these reactions need to occur?The easy access of key vitamins and minerals.

With this in mind, the supplementation of certain vitamins and minerals can ensure the healthy function of the body, and even boost the effectiveness of certain metabolic processes – leading to improved function and better health as a result. Which brings us to the topic of today’s article – selenium.

What is selenium?

Selenium is a trace mineral that that is found naturally occurring in a unique set of foods that aren’t typically consumed within the traditional western diet (brazil nuts, halibut, sardines, grass fed beef, spinach, egg yolk, and beef liver).

Selenium is an extremely important mineral when it comes to the healthy function of the human body, as it plays key roles in supporting the function of the immune system, defending against oxidative damage and inflammation, and ensuring a normal and healthy metabolism.

Considering the fact that selenium doesn’t feature too strongly within our normal diets, and that it holds such significant importance in regard to the maintenance of healthy function, its supplementation offers an extremely simple and effective way to boost health.

What Are the Benefits of Taking a Selenium Supplement?

Selenium is known to play a number of key roles within the body, where if deficient, we are likely to experience HUGE drops in both health and function. Additionally, when consumed in abundance, selenium has been shown to exhibit powerful protective effects on the human body, suggesting the capacity to improve health and function in a very big way.

Selenium Supplements as Antioxidants

Antioxidants are specific compounds that appear naturally occurring in some foods (I have no doubt that you would have heard of them at some point). These compounds fight off the harmful oxidative damage caused to our cells by free radicals.

The accumulation of this oxidative stress has shown strong associations with sharp declines in health, an increased risk of cancer, impaired cellular function, heart disease, dementia, premature ageing, and even an increased risk of stroke.

By limiting the impact of free radicals, selenium supplements have been shown to reduce oxidative stress on the body, and therefore improve health and wellbeing as a result ^[1].

Selenium Supplements and the Immune System

Our immune system is one of the most important aspects of the human body. By identifying and fighting off potential threats to the body (such as harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites), it can ensure that normal health is maintained.

Interestingly, selenium has been shown to boost the effectiveness of the immune system, speeding up its response time and its efficiency. On the other side of this coin, selenium deficiency has shown strong associations with impaired immune system function, and associated reductions in health.

With all this in mind, the supplementation of selenium offers an excellent way to improve health and reduce our risk of developing unwanted disease and illnesses ^[2].

Selenium Supplements and Heart Health

Selenium has also demonstrated the capacity to reduce inflammation throughout the body, with specific emphasis on the cardiovascular system. So much so that increasing selenium intake has been shown to cause significant reductions in the systemic inflammation that is known to contribute to the incidence of coronary artery disease.

Additionally, the antioxidant properties of selenium have also been shown reduce plaque build-up on the walls of our arteries, causing a subsequent reduction in blood pressure and an increase in cardiovascular health.

Through these mechanisms, selenium offers a seriously potent heart health booster ^[3].

Selenium Supplements and Cognitive Health

And finally, selenium has also been suggested to improve the health of both our brain and neural tissue, causing subsequent improvements in memory, cognitive processing, and even learning capacity.

With this, it has also been shown to stave off age related declines in cognitive function, while significantly reducing the cognitive signs and symptoms of those individuals suffering both Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment ^[4].

Best Selenium Supplement Reviews

The following options are what we believe to be the best three selenium supplements available on the market. Each of these offer a great option in their own right, in which they are guaranteed to improve health and function.

NOW foods Selenium Supplement

This supplement has been extremely well received within the health and fitness community, namely because it provides a potent dosage of high quality selenium at a reasonable price point.

When it comes to NOW, you can be assured of their product quality. This is a great option for those looking to introduce selenium into their regime.

Pure Encapsulations Selenium Supplement

This option by Pure Encapsulations is of an extremely high quality and provides us with a scientifically supported dosage of selenium that can be taken easily and effectively. While it isn’t the cheapest option on the list, you can be assured of its efficiency.

Nature’s Way 200mcg Selenium

Natures Way have garnered an extremely good reputation for producing high quality supplements at extremely affordable price pints – and their selenium supplement is no different. Giving us a potent dosage of 200mcg selenium per serving, this is a great option.

As a bonus, it is also the cheapest option on the market, making it absolutely perfect for those individuals on a tight budget.

Take-Away Message

Selenium is arguably one of the most important minerals within the entire body, where it plays multiple roles to ensure optimal health and function is maintained on a daily basis.

With this in mind, the regular supplementation of a high-quality selenium supplement has been suggested to stave off oxidative damage, boost immune system function, improve cardiovascular health, and ensure cognitive health is mainlined well into out golden years.

The three options outlined in this article are what we believe to be the three best selenium supplements available on the market at the moment. If you have had any experience with them, we would love to hear about it – so drop us a comment and we will get back to you ASAP.