Selenium and vitamins a. Vitamin e with selenium. Forms of the mineral in medicines

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Vitamin E

Vitamin E, or tocopherol, belongs to the group of fat-soluble vitamins.

This is - natural that slows down the aging process of the skin. Nowadays, doctors are increasingly recommending it for the prevention of atherosclerosis: both primary and secondary.

Previously, doctors recommended taking 8 mg of vitamin E daily for men and 6.4 mg for women, but now this dose has been increased to 15 mg for both men and women. Vitamin E is found in nuts, cereals, many vegetables, liver. It should be remembered that tocopherol is a substance that slows down blood clotting, so you should not exceed the maximum allowable dose consumption of this vitamin (1000 mg), otherwise uncontrolled bleeding may develop.

Selenium

Selenium is a microelement that actively protects body cells from aggressive free radicals and reacts with such hazardous heavy metals as mercury and cadmium. This antioxidant strengthens the immune system, protects us from diseases of the cardiovascular system, and increases life expectancy. Interacting with other antioxidants - and E, selenium reduces fatigue, fights depression and improves intellectual abilities.

Studies have shown that a deficiency of selenium in the food that experimental animals received led to the pathology of the cardiovascular system and some other disorders. Numerous epidemiological studies confirm this: in areas where people receive little selenium along with traditional food, there is an increased mortality of residents from cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. The reason for this is that selenium is an integral part of a number of hormones and that ensure the normal course of physiological processes in the body.

Selenium provides cellular immunity, it is necessary to ensure the reproductive functions of the body. Interacting with beta-carotene, selenium is involved in the metabolism of fats, reduces the risk of heart attacks, and lowers blood pressure. Selenium is involved in the production of Q-10, which is very important for maintaining heart health - it strengthens the heart muscle, protects it from oxygen starvation, and speeds up its recovery after a heart attack.

Selenium actively interacts with heavy metals, combines with them and removes them from the body, thereby preventing the destruction of liver tissue. Also selenium effectively protects body cells from the harmful effects of radiation, which causes inflammation and destroys tissues. Selenium prevents the development of a number of cancerous tumors (including the breast, intestines and lungs). And with the simultaneous intake of selenium with some other biologically active substances, its digestibility and effectiveness increase significantly.

Previously, the daily intake of selenium was considered to be 55 micrograms for women and 70 micrograms for men. Now the daily intake of selenium has been reduced to 55 micrograms per day, regardless of gender.

Selenium is found in sea ​​fish and algae, sunflower seeds, liver and cereals.

The maximum allowable daily dose of selenium is 400 mcg. Exceeding this amount leads to the development of a special toxic reaction - selenosis, characterized by brittle nails and hair loss.

Carotenes

All types of carotenes in the human body play the role of antioxidants, protect cells from the harmful effects of free radicals. They support the health of the cardiovascular system, according to some reports, they prevent the process of cholesterol oxidation with its subsequent deposition in atherosclerotic plaques. Numerous studies show that people whose blood contains a large amount of beta-carotene are much less likely to suffer from diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Carotenes strengthen the immune system and help immune system cells destroy dangerous free radical molecules. According to the assumptions of some scientists, carotenes have a beneficial effect on the eyes, and they are most often damaged by free radicals.

Beta-carotene and other types of carotenes protect us from:

• Diseases of the heart and blood vessels: prevents the oxidation of cholesterol, which, according to doctors, leads us to atherosclerosis. In people who already suffer from heart disease, carotenes help in the treatment of angina pectoris. According to researchers, people who get enough carotenes from vegetables and fruits have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Cancer of the skin, breast, cervix, bladder, colon, lungs: carotenes actively protect DNA and other cell structures from destruction by free radicals. A number of clinical trials have shown us that beta-carotene can stop the development of a number of malignant tumors. The mechanism of this process is not yet fully understood, it is believed that carotenes prevent the development of cancer due to their active antioxidant effect.
• Harm from inhaling polluted air and smoking: Studies show that smokers with low blood levels of beta-carotene are more likely to develop cancer.
• Various infectious diseases: beta-carotene has been proven to strengthen the immune system. When taken in combination with vitamin E, carotenes weaken the damaging effects of free radicals.
• Photosensitivity disorders: 80% of people with excessive sensitivity to light, which is expressed in a rash, showed a persistent improvement when treated with beta-carotene.

Carotene is found in green vegetables (especially spinach and broccoli), carrots and winter pumpkins.

Selenium, this important element in its action in the body, due to its functions, is also called the “longevity trace element”.

The role of selenium in the body

The trace element selenium is concentrated in the body mainly in the kidneys, liver, bone marrow, heart, pancreas, lungs, skin, nails and hair.

Excess intake of mercury, copper, sulfates, paracetamol, phenacetin, malaria drugs can lead to selenium deficiency in the body. Improves the absorption of selenium vitamin C and E.

Selenium performs the following functions in the body:

• enhances the body's immunity (stimulates the formation of antibodies, white blood cells, killer cells, macrophages and interferon, participates in the production of red blood cells)
• is a strong antioxidant (prevents the development of tumor processes and aging of the body, neutralizes and removes foreign substances, activates vitamin E)
• reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (prevents muscular dystrophy of the heart, neutralizes toxins, stimulates the synthesis of hemoglobin, participates in the production of red blood cells and coenzyme Q10)
• acts as a strong antitumor factor (prevents and stops the development of malignant tumors)
• part of most hormones, enzymes and some proteins
• stimulates metabolic processes in the body
• protects the body from toxic manifestations of mercury, cadmium, lead, thallium and silver
• stimulates reproductive function (included in spermatozoa)
• stabilizes work nervous system
• normalizes the work of the endocrine system
• reduces spiciness inflammatory processes
• beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, nails and hair

Selenium against cancer and aging

Selenium- one of the few substances with a proven preventive effect against cancer. Studies of the anti-cancer properties of selenium were carried out in different countries over several decades. The result of all these works is the same: selenium resists the growth of malignant tumors.

Selenium together with vitamin E and vitamin C protects us from the harmful effects of free radicals. These micronutrients are essential for the production of key antioxidants. Therefore, selenium can be considered not only an anticancer agent, but also an active antioxidant that prevents the aging of each cell and the organism as a whole.

• A high level of selenium and essential vitamins reduces the risk of arthritis and vascular damage, heart attack and stroke, protects against cataracts and visual impairment, including age.
• Imagine a miraculous substance that prevents evil viruses, including the AIDS virus, from breaking out of cells and starting to sow death and destruction. This selenium is a powerful antioxidant and an important trace element with a variety of anti-aging properties. When your cells are depleted of selenium—as they always do with age—your immune system becomes compromised and you are more susceptible to infections, cancer, and heart disease.
• Further: selenium not only has its own antioxidant effect, but is also an important building block in the creation of glutathione peroxidase, one of the most important enzymes in our body, which neutralizes free radicals, and in particular those that attack fat molecules, literally turning them into rancid.
• Since glutathione peroxidase contains four selenium atoms, the researchers believe that selenium owes its effectiveness in the fight against aging precisely to the ability to increase the production of this enzyme.
• Disturbing fact: As you age, the level of selenium in your body drops. According to studies, after sixty years the level of selenium drops by 7%, and after seventy-five - by 24%.

Selenium blocks the development of cancer.“A substance that can reduce cancer incidence by almost 40% and reduce cancer deaths by 40% should be hailed as our greatest breakthrough in medicine,” said the famous nutritionist and naturopath Dr. Atkins. At his clinic in Manhattan, selenium preparations at a dose of 200-400 mcg are the primary elements of the prevention and therapy program. cancer. Selenium appears to fight cancer by preventing cell mutation, repairing cell damage, and rejuvenating the immune system. As studies have shown, in the elderly after two months of taking selenium preparations, the reaction of lymphocytes to mutagens increased by 79% and reached the level usual for younger and healthy people.

However, there is another opinion: “The myth about the benefits of selenium has been debunked!” This conclusion was made by the staff of The Cochrane collaboration during the analysis of 55 surveys, which involved more than a million people.

In addition to the ineffectiveness of selenium, experts have determined its toxicity with long-term use of appropriate supplements. Study leader Dr. Gabriel Dennert from the Institute for Interdisciplinary Health Research in Germany emphasizes: “Selenium is vital in small amounts. It helps build a strong immune system that fights infection and disease. Selenium is found in a variety of foods - Brazil nuts, tuna and pasta. Supplements, like other vitamins, do not work as a protection against cancer; on the contrary, they increase the risk of cancer in some cases.

In turn, Inka Ebo of the British Cancer Research Center believes that people should be more careful about taking supplements, thinking twice before starting a cycle relying on selenium. The best way to fill the lack of trace elements is food. Exactly good nutrition, according to the expert, will work as a defense against cancer. Most healthy people do not need to take supplements at all.

Selenium fights heart disease. Low levels of selenium in the blood make you more vulnerable to heart disease. In people with low level selenium in the blood, the risk of coronary heart disease is 70% higher compared to those who are not deficient in this mineral. The lower the level of selenium, the higher the degree of blockage of the arteries, which is determined using an angiogram (fluoroscopy of the vessels of the heart). Selenium protects the heart not only through its role in the production of glutathione peroxidase, but also by limiting the content in the body of such toxic metals as cadmium, mercury and lead, for which it is an antagonist. The accumulation of toxic metals in the body is dangerous not only for the heart muscle, but is also main reason disease such as multiple sclerosis.

Anti-inflammatory action of selenium. Since glutathione peroxidase has anti-inflammatory properties, selenium has a beneficial effect on rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, asthma and other diseases such as colitis and psoriasis.

Selenium is very important for thyroid function, because it depends on the enzyme that activates the main thyroid hormone. Selenium deficiency can lead to slow metabolism and even obesity, and the effect of replacement therapy may be incomplete.

Daily need for selenium

The guidelines MP 2.3.1.2432-08 on the norms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for various groups of the population of the Russian Federation dated 12/18/2008 provide the following data:

Physiological need for Selenium, mcg per day:

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for Selenium is set to 300 mcg per day

People experiencing high physical exercise, athletes, pregnant and lactating mothers, smokers need to increase the amount of micronutrient taken.

Symptoms of deficiency and overdose of selenium

The main symptoms of selenium deficiency are:

• fatigue
• depression
• dermatitis
• muscle weakness and pain
• eczema
• hair loss
• dystrophic changes in nails
• decreased immunity
• increase in blood cholesterol levels
• liver dysfunction
• blurred vision
• decreased function of the pancreas
• reproductive dysfunction
• slow growth and development in children
• cancer risk
• earlier aging

In certain concentrations (in doses of more than 5 mg per day), selenium and its compounds are toxic to humans. The main symptoms of a selenium overdose include:

• brittle nails
• nausea
• vomit
• unstable mental state
• garlicky breath and skin odor
• hair loss
• liver dysfunction
• skin erythema
• bronchopneumonia

Sources of selenium

The main way selenium enters the body is nutritional: a person receives 90% of selenium from food and 10% from water. The assimilation of soluble forms of selenium (most of the selenium is absorbed in the duodenum and other parts of the intestine) is determined by the nature of the food.

vegetable

Cereals and grains, garlic, White mushrooms, seaweed, olive oil, brewer's yeast, legumes, olives, coconuts, pistachios, cashews, oatmeal and buckwheat.

Animals

Meat and offal (organs, lard), seafood, milk and dairy products.

Selenization problem

According to the recommendations of the US Academy of Sciences, an adult should receive 50-200 micrograms of selenium per day. The need for selenium is 90% satisfied by various food products, 10% is water. Its content in food products is closely related to the distribution of selenium in the biosphere of the area where a person lives. Low levels of biologically active selenium are observed in the soils of the Northwestern region of Russia (Karelia, Leningrad region), the Upper Volga region (Yaroslavl, Kostroma and Ivanovo regions), Udmurtia and Transbaikalia. In Ukraine, selenium-deficient provinces are Volyn, Sumy and Kyiv regions. A particularly serious deficiency of selenium is observed in older people aged 45-55 years and after 70 (“selenium pit” discovered by Russian scientists).

Among the population, risk groups can be distinguished, especially prone to selenium deficiency:

• residents of territories contaminated with radionuclides, liquidators and workers of the "shelter" of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
• residents of large industrial cities.
• children, especially after artificial feeding.
• pregnant women.

In the context of widespread selenium deficiency, there is now a need for widespread "selenization" of the population in many countries of the world. However, not every country has a practice of fortifying staple foods with selenium. The solution to this problem, accessible to everyone, is the intake of dietary supplements containing selenium.

Such additives may contain both mineral and organic selenium accumulators. Minerals include sodium selenite and selenates, organic - selenomethionine and selencysteine. Unlike inorganic selenium salts, these latter are complex amino acid compounds with high bioavailability and prolonged action. They have the ability to accumulate in the body and maintain a high level of selenium for a long time.

Foods rich in selenium, Se

Product name	Selenium, Se, mcg	%RSP
Brazil nuts, not blanched, dried	1917	2738,6%
Lamb liver	82,4	117,7%
Mackerel, salted	73,4	104,9%
Turkey liver	70,8	101,1%
goose liver	68,1	97,3%
duck liver	67	95,7%
chicken liver	54,6	78%
Dried bream	54,3	77,6%
sunflower seed	53	75,7%
Pork liver	52,7	75,3%
Cold smoked Pacific herring	52,6	75,1%
Octopus	44,8	64%
Pink salmon	44,6	63,7%
beef liver	39,7	56,7%
halibut black	36,5	52,1%
Fried chicken egg (scrambled eggs, without oil)	36,437	52,1%
Chinook salmon	36,5	52,1%
Nerka natural. canned food	35,4	50,6%
Chinook, smoked	32,4	46,3%
Boiled chicken egg (hard boiled)	32,02	45,7%
Soft-boiled chicken egg	32,02	45,7%
Lamb heart	32	45,7%
Chicken egg	31,7	45,3%
Corn, food grain	30	42,9%
Corn, dentate	30	42,9%
Corn, high lysine	30	42,9%
Fat cottage cheese 18.0% fat	30	42,9%
Cottage cheese soft diet 11.0% fat	30	42,9%
Semi-fat cottage cheese 9.0% fat	30	42,9%
Soft diet cottage cheese, fruit and berry, 4.0% fat	30	42,9%
Cottage cheese soft dietary, fruit-and-berry low-fat	30	42,9%
Cottage cheese soft diet 4.0% fat	30	42,9%
Cottage cheese "Table" 2.0% fat	30	42,9%
Low-fat cottage cheese 0.6%	30	42,9%
Red sockeye	29,9	42,7%
Grain of soft wheat	29	41,4%
chickpeas	28,5	40,7%
China	27,2	38,9%
Rye, food grain	25,8	36,9%

Vitamin E and selenium are substances with antioxidant activity. They are necessary human body not only to increase life expectancy, but also to improve its quality.

Vitamin E and selenium are substances with antioxidant activity.

The action of selenium

The action of the antioxidant is to prevent the formation of free radicals, which accelerate aging and cause cancer. The trace element is included in the biological processes of the body and directly affects:

• on the formation of coenzyme Q-10, which increases the regenerative capacity of the heart muscle;
• on testosterone production and men's health;
• on the state of the retina;
• to remove toxic substances and heavy metals;
• on liver health;
• to prevent thyroid disease;
• on normal cell division, tissue renewal.

The action of vitamin E

Vitamin E (tocopherol) stabilizes the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, contributing to weight loss. With its lack, the condition of hair, skin and nails worsens. But main function is to strengthen the immune system and prevent atherosclerosis. Antioxidants complement each other's action and enhance the absorption of other trace elements (zinc, magnesium, potassium, etc.). The lack of tocopherol reduces the absorption of selenium.

Where are they kept?

You can get the required amount of nutrients from products.

But with an insufficiently balanced and irrational diet, it will be possible to quickly fill the body's need for antioxidants with the help of medicines and dietary supplements.

Preparations

Vitamin complexes can be purchased at the pharmacy. Among them:

1. Complivit selenium. The preparation contains optimal daily amounts of 10 vitamins and antioxidants, copper, zinc and manganese.
2. Alphavit classic. Designed for separate administration of tablets with incompatible components. Includes the right substances in daily dosage.
3. Multi-tabs. The composition includes vitamins A, B, C, E, folic acid, selenium, iodine and a mineral complex.
4. Dynamizan. This is a combination of different antioxidants, including both components.

You can choose the right drug only in consultation with a therapist. Vitamin complexes may have age restrictions and must be taken in the dosage prescribed by the doctor.

Products

The easiest way to get daily amounts of antioxidants is from foods. Both useful components are contained:

• in poultry eggs;
• in products containing wheat bran (cereals, grain bread, flour of 1-2 grades, etc.);
• in sprouted grains of various types;
• in liver;
• in nuts and seeds, corn.

Garlic, yeast and mushrooms, spinach greens are rich in selenium. It is not present at all in products made from premium flour.

Indications for the simultaneous use of vitamin E and selenium

Preparations containing vitamins and minerals, which include selenium salts and tocopherol, are prescribed for immunodeficiency states and during menopause (for women). In addition, medicines and dietary supplements are prescribed:

• with diseases of the pancreas and thyroid glands;
• with multiple sclerosis;
• with asthma;
• with pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
• when working in industries where a person is exposed to chemicals and toxins;
• with psoriasis;
• with slow skin regeneration;
• with vision problems.

The appointment of selenium and vitamin E preparations is not an independent therapy, but is included in the general treatment regimens. But for the prevention of pathologies, the doctor can prescribe the intake of vitamin complexes against the background of the general well-being of the body.

Joint effect

The components of multivitamin preparations with selenium act in a complex way: vitamins A, C and E affect the absorption of the mineral and each other.

Trace elements are involved in metabolism and enhance the absorption of vitamins, including tocopherol.

How to Take Vitamin E and Selenium

The drugs are divided into groups:

• therapeutic compensates for the lack of a microelement, contains more than 100% of the daily norm, the course of admission is 7-14 days;
• maintenance is designed to maintain the level of selenium in the body or to make up for a small deficiency, the intake is carried out in courses of 60 days;
• prophylactic includes no more than 45-50% of the daily requirement and is used to prevent selenium and vitamin E deficiency.

The dosage and method of administration are indicated in the instructions for the drugs or are prescribed by the doctor individually. Do not exceed the dosage.

Contraindications

Only a part of the drugs has contraindications. For example, Selenium forte ("Evalar") is contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women and children under 12 years of age. Vitamins Multi-tabs with selenium are prescribed only for children over 5 years old and adults. The drug Dinamizan (Novartis) is used only after 13 years.

Side effects of vitamin E and selenium

Subject to dosage side effects does not occur.

Terms of dispensing from pharmacies

Price

The cost of packaging the drug varies depending on the manufacturer and destination. Medicines can cost between 150-450 rubles. Vitamins and supplements include flavors and taste enhancers, their price starts from 220-420 rubles.

Doctors' opinion

Elena Petrovna, Moscow

An adult needs at least 100 micrograms of selenium daily. But its excess (over 200 micrograms) is harmful to the body. It is most convenient to observe the correct dosage when taking medications prescribed by a therapist.

Konstantin Sergeevich, Novosibirsk

Selenium should be taken by people who have heart problems and during rehabilitation after a stroke. The mineral accelerates the regeneration of muscle tissue and strengthens blood vessels.

Vitamin E, Selenium - powerful antioxidants

Selen What is Selenium for?

Vitamin E - health benefits, signs of deficiency, foods rich in vitamin E

Selenium is an important trace element for the human body in general and the fair sex in particular, and its deficiency in our body, alas, is not uncommon. To correct the situation with a lack of substance, it is recommended to take special vitamins with selenium for women, which will replenish the supply of nutrients in the body and help you feel better. The use of selenium has its own subtleties that must be considered when choosing a complex.

What are the benefits of selenium for the body

This substance is literally in all organs and tissues of the human body and performs many tasks, such as:

• Destruction of free radicals .
• Regulation of redox chemical processes .
• Removal of toxic compounds from cells .
• Building enzymes, hormones and other catalysts, thus controlling the hormonal background . In particular, with the help of selenium, thyroxine is produced in the thyroid gland, which prevents the enlargement of this organ. Also, the element is important for producing the right amount of insulin for the body.
• Breakdown and metabolism of proteins in the body .
• Strengthening immune forces and protection against viral diseases , herpes rashes, fevers and hepatitis of all kinds.
• Synthesis of protein molecules , which will later be used to build or repair cartilage and bones.
• Improvement of the heart and blood vessels , prevention of their diseases.

Se daily dosage

The individual human need for an element is influenced by many factors, such as body weight, active lifestyle and the ecological state of the living environment. On average, a woman needs about 50-60 mcg daily. During pregnancy, the dose rises to 75 mcg. If some very high loads are regularly experienced, such as intense sports, even more selenium is required, but how much it will be safe is better to discuss with your doctor.

The amount, with a one-time use of which selenium begins to negatively affect the body, is 900 mcg.

In this case, you can notice the appearance of symptoms of hypervitaminosis:

• garlic smell from mouth;
• rapidly falling hair ;
• fatigue, unstable mood .

What is needed for selenium to be well absorbed?

Very often, one can observe a simultaneous lack of both selenium and zinc in a woman's body, and this is bad, because both of these substances affect the functioning of the thyroid gland. Therefore, women who buy selenium in the complex have a good chance of normalizing their hormonal balance.

At the same time, even if Se enters the body no less than in the daily dosage, it simply cannot physically be absorbed and exert its positive effect if it is not in the body. Also, these two substances produce an enzyme designed to protect cells from oxidation.

For normal selenium metabolism in tissues and organs, it is necessary, and guarantees the transformation of the inactive form of the element into an active one.

Release form

Generally, preparations containing selenium fall into two categories - medications and simple supplements. On the one hand, the first type has a more pronounced effect and helps for a relatively short term almost completely eliminate mineral deficiencies. However, dietary supplements are considered safer due to their weak action and lower concentration of active substances. There are many forms in which products with Se can be found - these are capsules, tablets, gels, powders, and much more, which allows you to choose the most convenient and pleasant type to use.

Depending on the concentration of nutrients in the supplement, it can be one of three types:

• Therapeutic- used to get rid of a serious selenium deficiency within a week or two, the amount of the element in a daily dose exceeds 100% of the standard.
• supportive contains about one hundred percent of the necessary needs, makes up for a not very neglected lack of substance in a couple of months.
• Prophylactic - ensures the supply of a sufficient amount of Se, if some products are already consumed with it, contains about half of the amount of the compound needed per day.

The drugs below are the most commonly prescribed for patients with selenium deficiency in the body, and choosing one of them is a good decision. But it is better to consult with your doctor first.

This complex set of vitamins, containing, among other nutrients, a full daily dosage of Se, is balanced so that all its elements are well absorbed and enhance each other's action. It is used as a supplement to natural substances that enter the body with a proper and balanced diet.

You can start taking it only after the attending physician gives a direct instruction to this, in a course of one month, once a day before meals, preferably in the morning. Some patients reported gastrointestinal disturbances or allergic reaction on Complivit, so you need to be careful with it.

As part of this dietary supplement, everything that helps selenium to be absorbed - aksorbinka, tocopherol and zinc, as well as many other useful substances. The element itself is presented in this remedy in grape seed extract and is contained in a concentration of 70 mg, that is, it completely covers the daily requirement of both women and men.

It is usually prescribed for vitamin deficiency or a lack of minerals, omega-3 fatty acids in the body. The drug is contraindicated in lactating, pregnant women, children under twelve. The course lasts three or four weeks, you need to drink the supplement with food twice a day, one thing at a time.

This formulation combines vitamins and minerals into three different types of pills, each designed to support a different system:

• "Calcium D3"- Helps strengthen tooth enamel bone tissue, hair and nail plates, serves to prevent calcium leaching from bones and vascular fragility.
• "Antioxidant Plus" - it is in this tablet that the daily norm of selenium is located, as well as the substances necessary for its metabolism, which together fight free radicals and viruses, strengthen the immune system and increase protection from the harmful factors of the outside world.
• "Iron Plus" promotes hematopoiesis, an increase in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.

Between doses of each of the tablets, you must observe an interval of at least five hours, the course of treatment is about a month.

By prescription, this dietary supplement can be consumed even by children over five years old. It contains a whole cocktail of vitamins (, E, C,) and minerals, including zinc, 50 mcg of selenium and iodine. The concentrations of nutrients in the complex are such that combining it with some other by similar means you can not, otherwise you can not avoid an overdose. It is recommended to take Multi-tabs once a day with a meal.

Here, selenium is about half of the usual dose, the remaining amount must be obtained in some other way. But in general, this is an excellent remedy for eliminating general beriberi, feeling unwell and lethargy, which doctors often prescribe. It is convenient to drink it - just one capsule per day for four weeks with food, optimally - at breakfast.

Antiox by Vision

This dietary supplement contains beta-carotene, tocopherol, ascorbic acid, selenium, zinc, grape pomace and ginkgo biloba extracts. protects the body from the effects of free radicals at the cellular level.

Triovit

The composition of the drug includes selenium and three antioxidant vitamins - betacarotene, ascorbic acid and tocopherol. supports the body and helps resist negative effects environment.

When it comes to vitamins with selenium, one cannot be guided by its concentration in the preparation alone. It is necessary to take into account the content of substances that help it to be absorbed, and its intake with food, and, first of all, medical instructions. There may be other reasons - for example, highly mineralized water in the region, due to which an additional intake a large number Se can provoke a glut, which manifests itself no better than a deficiency.

Selenium triggers the body's antioxidant defense mechanism, protecting it from cancer and premature aging.

The main merits of selenium

1. Selenium, together with iodine, ensures the normal functioning of the thyroid gland.

2. Selenium triggers the body's antioxidant defense mechanism, protecting it from cancer and premature aging.

3. Selenium, due to its direct effect on the synthesis of the immunizing enzyme glutathione peroxidase, prevents the occurrence of a number of cancers (cancer of the lungs, intestines, breast, prostate). Studies have shown that taking selenium can reduce the incidence of cancer by almost 40% and reduce cancer deaths by 50%.

4. Selenium is an important micronutrient needed to maintain the human immune system.

5. Selenium is involved in the synthesis of coenzyme Q-10, which is of great importance for heart health and recovery of the heart muscle after a heart attack. It was found that people with low levels of selenium in the blood, the risk of coronary heart disease is 70% higher than those whose levels of this mineral were normal.

6. Selenium supports the reproductive health of men (part of the male sex hormone testosterone, recommended for male infertility due to decreased spermatogenesis).

8. Selenium prevents destruction and necrosis of the liver by combining with heavy metals and removing them from the body.

9. Selenium neutralizes the effects of mercury and arsenic, is able to protect the body from cadmium, lead, thallium, tobacco smoke poisoning and exhaust gases.

For many years, selenium was considered a poison. He really is poison! But only in certain doses: a little more is bad, a little less is also bad. And these "slightly" are so negligibly small! For health, you need to get only 0.00001 g of selenium. In 1933, it was noticed that wheat from fields rich in selenium had a poisonous effect on livestock. Selena began to be feared as a poison. And suddenly, in the 60s, an enthusiastic boom arose about this trace element. “There is no health without selenium!”, “Selenium and vitamin E heal the heart!”, “Selenium prolongs youth!”, “Selenium will save us from cancer!” The discovery of selenium as a health factor was a turning point in medicine and animal husbandry.

In New Zealand and Turkey, where there is a great lack of this element in the soil, inexplicable sudden deaths of babies, especially males, caused precisely by a lack of selenium. In Scotland, where selenium is also too low, newborn calves have been given an injection of selenium salt or supplemented with this element in the feed, and as a result, losses have been significantly reduced.

There is a commonwealth of vitamins C, E and selenium. Like vitamin E, selenium - antioxidant. However, vitamin E and selenium do not interact. They carry out their work in a living organism independently of each other, but in great commonwealth, replacing each other in biological processes. If selenium only activated vitamin E, then it would already be necessary for both animals and humans. But, in addition, selenium protects nucleic acids from damage. Nucleic acids are an integral part of all living systems; they play a leading role in protein biosynthesis and the transfer of hereditary traits and properties of an organism in the genetic code. Selenium increases our resistance adverse conditions environment, viruses, thereby protecting us from various diseases. Selenium is essential for the functioning of the heart muscle and blood vessels.

Physicians in Mexico and the Philippines use the great powers of selenium and vitamin E in the treatment of angina pectoris with excellent results.

But an excess of selenium is harmful. From its increased content, people lose their hair and nails - this disease is called "selenosis". Animals show typical symptoms: diseases gastrointestinal tract, loss of teeth, inflammation of the gums, skin, damage to the limbs, hair loss. Man needs only "traces" of selenium. However, the more carefully the soil is cultivated, the more we lose this element. It is washed out by water and carried out to the sea, carried by the wind, it is becoming less and less on our planet.

Some plants, such as tropical ones, have the ability to accumulate selenium in excess. Fortunately, there are also plants in which there is exactly as much selenium as a person needs. However, in any plant there are always at least its "traces".

Selenium, vitamin E and the immune system. Selenium and cancer.

We must know: the body's resistance to infections, including viruses that cause cancer, depends to a large extent on the presence of selenium in food, as well as vitamins E and C. Studies by doctors in US cities and data from the Committee for Environmental Prevention in Krakow have shown that cancer patients have an incredibly low level of selenium in the blood. And although it is still unclear what the mechanism of action of selenium is, how it protects against cancer, it is assumed that, being, like vitamin E, an antioxidant, selenium reduces cell oxidation, prevents their deformation, as well as damage to genetic DNA, and thus contributes to the normal development and repair of cells.

Selenium, cobalt and magnesium are known as factors that counteract violations of chromosomes that carry genetic material that controls the life of cells, their normal division.

Selenium destroys aflatoxins and mold. Selenium paralyzes aflatoxins, thereby protecting cells from the carcinogenic effects of poisons; in addition, it destroys molds that produce aflatoxins. In a rainy summer, a situation may arise when the grain of the new crop, if not dried, will be spoiled by mold. Such grain is dangerous to health. Therefore, more antioxidants must be added to people's food, that is, selenium compounds, vitamins E and C, etc. The same applies to potatoes, which become moldy when stored in humid storage.

Rotten potatoes have the ability to adversely affect brain tissue.

Diet and selenium. How should you eat anyway? modern man so that his body receives the optimal dose of selenium? Let's remember! The most dangerous "enemy" of selenium is carbohydrates. And this means that cakes, sweet pies, cakes and cookies, all sweet flour products, all carbonated drinks can completely or partially destroy selenium. When we give up sugar, we store selenium in our body. In the presence of hydrocarbons, this trace element is not absorbed.

Products containing selenium. What foods contain selenium?

Selenium contains:

• in sea and rock salts,
• in the kidneys (pork, beef and veal),
• in the liver and heart
• in the eggs of a bird, besides, there is also vitamin E in the yolk.

Sea foods rich in selenium- fish, especially herring, crabs, lobsters, lobsters, shrimps and more affordable squids, which are not too accessible to everyone.

Selenium not found in processed foods- canned food and concentrates, and in all boiled, refined products it is half as much as in fresh.

From products plant origin rich in selenium:

• wheat bran,
• sprouted grains of wheat,
• corn grains,
• tomatoes,
• Brewer's yeast,
• mushrooms and garlic
• as well as black bread and other products made from wholemeal flour.

The milk of a nursing mother has 2 times more selenium and 5-6 times more vitamin E than cow's milk.

Boys have been found to die more often than girls. The well-known hematologist-oncologist Yu. Aleksadrovich explains this by the fact that it is boys who need much more selenium than girls, so if they receive cow's milk instead of mother's milk, this trace element is lacking in their body.

It should be noted that the method for determining the content of selenium in products is one of the most complex research methods, and therefore data on its content should be treated with caution. If there is enough selenium in the soil, then a normal balanced diet should provide us with enough.

One of the tastiest and most affordable sources of selenium is corn.

Selenium, like vitamin E, prevents liver disease.

Common garlic and selenium. Garlic is rich in selenium, in addition, it contains many other important components, such as protein (5.6%), carbohydrates and various minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium. It contains a lot of B vitamins, vitamin C, various sugars. It is also famous for its well-known smell, the source of which is alliin glucoside. Under the action of the enzyme, alliniases are broken down into fructose and allicin, a volatile sulfur compound with a characteristic unpleasant odor. It kills bacteria.

There is an opinion that in garlic there are even compounds of hormonal action and radioactive uranium. But this is an assumption. It is also known that garlic contains phytoncides, it is even considered their richest source. (The drying process most often leads to the death of phytoncides). The last sentence should draw our attention to the fact that garlic preparations do not replace natural "live" garlic.

Destroying an unpleasant smell, we lose all the healing properties of garlic. Phytoncides, which garlic is so rich in, are volatile substances contained in plant sap and actively affecting fungi and bacteria. Phytoncides are produced by some higher plants. Thanks to them, plants are resistant to infection.

In addition to garlic, onion, horseradish, dill, wild garlic, etc. are also extremely rich in phytoncides.

Garlic, horseradish and other plants, in which phytoncides are the most, are used for canninging, as well as when salting vegetables. It has been established that horseradish is a powerful tool that suppresses the development of fungi and molds (including those that produce toxins), which has not yet been paid due attention. Garlic in the mouth destroys all germs and leaves a strong odor. Garlic disinfects the digestive and respiratory systems, treats chronic diarrhea, atherosclerosis, prevents the development of senile marasmus, atherosclerosis and heart attacks.

Interestingly, deaths from heart disease are very rare in Spain. Of course, it is impossible to say with certainty that only garlic is the cause of this, since the Spaniards eat, in addition to garlic, exclusively sea salt, which is rich in trace elements, which means selenium and magnesium. But many scientists attribute the main merit to garlic.

Italians also like to eat garlic, although half as much as the Spaniards, and they are also less likely than the British or Americans to die of heart disease. Garlic is useful not only for the prevention of heart disease and colds.

Onions and garlic, eaten with meat, mitigate the effects of the harmful effects of saturated fat, excess cholesterol, and also prevent blood clots. They act as an anti-diabetic agent, as they cleanse the blood of excess glucose.

Anyone who suffers from stomach diseases is recommended to drink 20-50 ml of garlic tincture.

Garlic effectively treats chronic and acute diarrhea caused by different type bacteria, as well as dysentery and even cholera. In the autumn-winter period, this tincture will protect against colds and infectious diseases. Children can give it 1 teaspoon (through a straw), subsequently bringing it up to 30-50 ml.

In ancient times, in Babylon, Egypt, Greece, Rome, India and China, they ate garlic for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and used it against worms.

In modern times, Albert Schweitzer gave garlic to typhoid and cholera patients, with excellent results.

In 1970, biologist Eldon L. Rivers discovered that garlic stopped the growth of cancer cells.

Some researchers report that garlic improves mood. This can be explained by the high content of selenium.

Indian researchers, studying the role of garlic in the treatment of heart attack, noticed an interesting by-effect: improved mood, felt a surge of energy.

French scientist Gilles Fillon from the Pasteur Institute found that garlic promotes the release of serotonin, an indicator of good mood. “I suspect that garlic relieves stress, anxiety and is generally an antidepressant, like Prozac, although weaker than it,” he said. - Eat garlic to feel better».

Japanese scientists found that garlic was 60% effective in relieving stress in mice.

Dr. F. G. Piotrovsky from the University of Geneva treated 100 patients with hypertension in various stages with garlic. 40% of them already after 3-4 days felt a significant improvement: headaches and dizziness disappeared, difficulty in concentrating, etc. In another 40%, the improvement was not so noticeable. However, in addition to hypertension, these patients suffered from kidney diseases, which are generally difficult to treat with a diet. And yet there was an improvement!

Nutritionists advise drinking vitamin E in addition to a tablespoon of garlic oil in the treatment of hypertension.

Selenium protects our stay on Earth. The element got its name in honor of the Moon (translated from Greek - Selenium) and it is symbolic. As the Moon is a satellite of the Earth, so selenium is a human companion throughout life, protecting his memory and health.

Selenium was discovered in 1817 by the Swedish scientist Jens Berzelius. He's called:

• sniper(he shoots mutant cells, cancer cells)
• restorer(restores damaged cell membranes),
• watchman(protects cells from the absorption of harmful substances) of the body.

This trace element is part of biologically active enzymes, of which there are more than 200, as well as hormones.

Selenium has been proven to enhance the effect drug treatment and reduce its toxicity.

It is also called a natural antibiotic.

It is known that the lack of selenium and zinc in the body increases the craving for alcohol.

Epidemiologists believe that today selenium deficiency is observed in 80% of the population. The fact is that recently water and soil have practically lost this microelement, moreover, it has partially passed into an indigestible form. The reason is the use of nitrate fertilizers and environmental degradation.

In addition, up to 70% of selenium is lost during the cleaning of cereals, and up to 50% during the heat treatment of food.

In European countries, selenium deficiency has long been fought: in Finland it is added to bakery products, in China - to salt. In 1996, selenium was recognized as a mineral food supplement, and in 1998, selenization was included in the national health improvement program. In the same year, the Health Spring took an active part in the government program and began to educate people about the benefits of selenium. In 1999, selenium was recognized as a drug and the most powerful antioxidant.

Daily need for selenium. Academician A.V. Voshchenko recommends using from the age of 12 - 100 mcg. selenium per day. A.V. Skalny, candidate of medical sciences, professor, believes that 15 micrograms of selenium is needed per 1 kg of human weight.

Interesting facts about selenium. English psychologist David Benton also noted a "marked improvement in mood" in 50 people aged 14 to 74 who took a 100mcg selenium tablet every day for 5 weeks, although they showed no signs of deficiency. Some received a placebo, others real selenium. Those who took selenium showed amazing mental clarity, self-confidence, elation, sociability - or vice versa, confusion, anxiety, fatigue, depression, insecurity and aggressiveness decreased. Especially noticeably, selenium removed the feeling of anxiety.

It has been observed that those with the lowest levels of selenium benefit the most from taking the supplement. After 5 weeks of taking selenium, their mood scale increased by 40%. For those who previously received enough selenium, it increased by 25%. The supplement eliminated the imperceptible selenium deficiency that manifested itself in a bad mood.

The fact that selenium supplements improve brain function has been known before. In one Dutch study, old people who received selenium and vitamin E pills were less anxious, cheered up and had better intelligence. Other authors have found that a mixture of selenium, zinc, and evening primrose oil improves mood and restores some function in old people who complain of memory loss.

How much to take? Experts recommend a daily dose of 200 micrograms of selenium to protect the brain and prevent heart disease and cancer. But beware of high doses. Selenium is one of those few supplements that can become powerful poisons. While 2,500 mcg a day won't kill you, it's best to limit yourself to 200 mcg as a supplement.

Conclusion. Insidious, widespread selenium deficiency impairs brain function, primarily reduces tone and causes a feeling of anxiety. For optimal functioning of the brain, a sufficient intake of selenium is necessary - 200 mcg per day.

Selenium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C - a great trio of antioxidants. Under stress, malnutrition, poor environment, exposure to household chemicals, smoking, free radicals are formed in the body - aggressive oxidizing particles (oxidants) that attack various cells of our body and, damaging and destroying them, are one of the main causes of aging and many diseases. up to cancer. Antagonists of free radicals and the main defenders of our body are antioxidant substances. They are able to delay the formation of free radicals and eliminate damage caused by oxidation.

Decades of research have determined exactly what The most powerful antioxidants are selenium, vitamins E and C. This "magnificent trio" constitutes the "skeleton" of the body's entire antioxidant defense system, which also includes such auxiliary elements as beneficial intestinal bacteria, enzymes, bioflavonoids, amino acids, and other substances. And since the work of the system is ensured only by the interaction of its elements, selenium and vitamins E, C are effective as antioxidants only together. Vitamin C improves the absorption of selenium, contributes to the stabilization and restoration of vitamin E. Selenium complements the work of vitamin E - together they create a complete "trap" for fat-soluble oxidants.

Selenium and vitamin E only work together, so taking one requires an additional intake of the other. What's more, a deficiency in vitamins E and C can prevent the body from absorbing selenium.

Selenium preparations: to drink or not to drink? According to the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and the results of clinical studies, 80% of Russians lack selenium. The daily diet of a Russian contains at best 30 micrograms of a substance, while the norm for an adult is 80-200 micrograms of selenium per day, and during periods of increased stress and with various diseases selenium requires 800-1200 mcg. Selenium deficiency occurs despite the fact that selenium is a substance quite often found in food.

Selenium contains:

• garlic,
• oatmeal,
• wheat bran,
• hazelnut,
• brown rice,
• White mushrooms,
• seafood,
• eggs,
• liver,
• beef,
• turkey.

However, the “casket” opens simply: a lot of selenium is lost during cooking and frying food - up to 50% (and when receiving flour from grain, up to 75% of the substance is lost).