Selenium is an essential mineral that is required for hundreds of processes within the body on a daily basis. The recommended daily allowance for selenium is 40-55 mcg per day with a tolerable upper intake level of 400 micrograms (mcg) per day for adults. Foods normally high in selenium include Brazil nuts, walnuts, grains, beef, poultry, and some seafood.

Our last post reviewed selenium levels among GrassrootsHealth participants, and while a majority of those participants had a selenium level within the laboratory reference range, some were at the low end of that range or below it, indicating potential deficiency, while many were above it. It is important to understand that the optimal therapeutic range for selenium is narrow, and excess selenium can become toxic and result in signs and symptoms that are similar to those of deficiency.

For a quick review of several key signs of selenium deficiency, check out this video by Ken D Berry, MD, or review the video summary below.

The body only needs a little bit of selenium, but it can be difficult for some people to get enough

Many antioxidants that the body makes require selenium; therefore, not getting enough selenium can lead to increased levels of oxidation, inflammation, and stress in the body

There is a higher risk of selenium deficiency in people with GI issues, such as IBS, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease

Elderly people over the age of 80 years old are also less able to absorb selenium

Selenium must be present in the soil that food is grown on or that it grazes on in order for selenium to end up in that food source

Selenium toxicity, which usually results from taking too much supplemental selenium, can lead to symptoms that are similar to those of selenium deficiency, including hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, diarrhea, joint pain, and nausea. Rarely, toxicity can also result in heart and neurological problems or even paralysis.

When experiencing symptoms it is important to consider selenium intake from all supplements and diet, along with your selenium blood level, in order to determine if you may be getting enough or too much.

Measure your selenium levels at home as part of the Elements Panel! Selenium, along with vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, and omega-3s, are just a few nutrients vital to maintaining many aspects of our health. To know if you are getting enough, make sure you test by adding the Elements Panel to your custom home test kit today. 

Enroll and test your levels today, learn what steps to take to improve your status of vitamin D (see below) and other nutrients and blood markers, and take action! By enrolling in the GrassrootsHealth projects, you are not only contributing valuable information to everyone, you are also gaining knowledge about how you could improve your own health through measuring and tracking your nutrient status, and educating yourself on how to improve it.

Be sure to educate yourself on the benefits and importance of vitamin D for immune health, and take steps to ensure you and your loved ones are getting enough.

You can review all of the COVID-19 and immune health information shared by GrassrootsHealth on this page.

Don't get stuck with low vitamin D levels - learn more about what might affect your level and response to supplementation, and the steps to take through each season to keep levels in your target range.