Micronutrients & recovery
Selenium deficiency can lead to specific diseases such as Keshan disease (cardiomyopathy) and myxedematous cretinism, which can be prevented or reversed by selenium supplementation, particularly when iodine levels are restored.
If you live in an area known for selenium-poor soil, be mindful of your selenium intake. Incorporate selenium-rich foods like Brazil nuts, fish, and eggs into your diet. For severe deficiency-related conditions like Keshan disease, medical supervision is essential, and treatment may require specific supplementation protocols.
Keshan disease is a potentially fatal form of cardiomyopathy... prevalent in children and endemic in parts of China with extremely low levels of selenium in the soil... Remarkably, the condition is prevented or completely reversed by selenium supplementation... Myxedematous cretinism is a condition characterized by mental and growth retardation, which is attributed to a combined selenium and iodine deficiency... Selenium supplementation in this condition must be administered after iodide levels have been restored.
Why this rating
The link between selenium deficiency and Keshan disease/cretinism is well-documented and accepted in medical literature, as presented in this review.
Source
From Selenium to Selenoproteins: Synthesis, Identity, and Their Role in Human Health
Laura V. Papp et al. · Antioxidants and Redox Signaling · 2007
DOI 10.1089/ars.2007.1528
More from this paper
- Adequate selenium intake is essential for optimal human health, primarily through its incorporation into selenoproteins, and deficiency is linked to increased risks of cancer, infection, male infertility, and neurologic conditions.Good
- Selenium's health benefits are mediated by selenoproteins, which are synthesized through a unique mechanism involving the UGA codon and the SECIS element, and these proteins play critical roles in redox regulation, thyroid hormone metabolism, and cancer prevention.Good
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