Poor nutrition can be a cause of selenium deficiency, as it's a trace mineral found only in certain, mostly unprocessed, foods. As soils are impacted by climate change, more minerals are being leached, so this could also have an impact on the amount of selenium available for absorption from our food in the future.

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Risk factors for deficiency -

People with gastrointestinal issues including Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis could suffer deficiency even if they're eating the right foods, as their digestion doesn't absorb as easily as for others.

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Fatigue -

One of the most common signs of selenium deficiency is feeling fatigued or constant tiredness, that you can't seem to shake off.

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Metabolism -

This is due to the role selenium plays in healthy metabolism, as it helps with converting food into energy. This symptom is also a sign of iron deficiency, so you might need to rule that out, too.

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Constant illness -

Selenium plays an active role in the immune system, contributing to its normal functioning to make you a lot less susceptible to infection or illness.

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Constant illness -

If your selenium levels are insufficient, you could find your immune system is constantly battling new viruses or illnesses, as it's weakened.

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Fertility issues -

Selenium plays a role in spermatogenesis, AKA the maturation of sperm cells. Selenium is also present in the tail of the cells.

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Fertility issues -

Low selenium can lead to decreased fertility, as selenium protects sperm from damage in the development stages. Tests are ongoing to understand if selenium deficiency also affects female fertility.

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Muscle wastage -

Thyroid synthesis and metabolism affects the rest of the body in different ways. Difficulty with this process, caused by selenium deficiency, can lead to muscle weakness.

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Muscles need energy to function -

This is because without gaining enough energy from the food that you eat, your muscles won't be supplied with enough energy to function.

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Hair loss in clumps -

Selenium helps the thyroid convert T4 hormone to an active type called T3. T3 is responsible for growth and development functions in the body.

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Hair loss in clumps -

If your selenium is low, this process is disrupted and you could have the symptoms of hypothyroidism. One of these is experiencing hair falling out in clumps.

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Dandruff and itchy scalp -

The antioxidant effects of selenium help to prevent dandruff. If you're not getting enough, you might suffer from excess flaking and an itchy scalp.

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Weight gain -

Unexpected weight gain is usually not something we welcome. If you haven't made changes to your diet or lifestyle, you'll want to get to the root cause.

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Weight gain -

As you rule out causes for the weight gain, selenium deficiency might be considered a potential cause. Again, the optimal functioning of the thyroid affects your metabolism, and if that's slowed it can lead to putting on some extra weight.

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Shortness of breath -

Selenoproteins, the active form of selenium present organically in the human body, are antioxidant warriors with another special role: to protect your heart.

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Shortness of breath -

Shortness of breath is associated with cardiac health, and low selenium levels are associated with a higher risk of heart disease.

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Brain fog -

Selenoproteins aren't just used by the heart. They also directly support normal cognitive functioning.

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Brain fog -

A lack of available selenium to make these proteins can lead to mental fog and difficulty concentrating, making it hard to complete even routine tasks.

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Increased risk of cancer -

Research from 2014 observed the relationship between selenium and cancer. It found a 31% lower risk where there was higher selenium exposure, notably stomach, bladder, and prostate cancer.

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Inconclusive overall -

However, other cancer trials have failed to show a benefit from selenium. Nonetheless, eating a diet of selenium-rich foods is probably the safest way to ensure you're getting enough of the mineral.

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Selenium-rich diet -

Foods like tofu, eggs, tuna, halibut, tinned sardines, baked beans, and meats including beef steak, beef liver, turkey, and chicken are all high in selenium.

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Brazil nuts -

But the most selenium-rich food of all is the Brazil nut. Just one ounce of them will give you 700% of the recommended daily amount of the mineral.

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Supplementation -

You can increase your selenium levels by taking a selenium supplement. Some multivitamins contain selenium as an ingredient, but it's available as a standalone product, too.

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Supplementation -

However, too much selenium can cause toxicity, so do not take more than 400 mcg. A safe dose of selenium supplement should contain no more than 100 mcg.

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Testing for selenium deficiency -

Selenium deficiency is tested in the nails and scalp hair. It can also be diagnosed by blood testing. If you think you might be deficient, talk to your doctor.

Sources: (Healthline) (The Healthy) (BetterYou) (Holland & Barrett)

Is your tiredness selenium deficiency?

Know the symptoms

28/02/24 | StarsInsider

HEALTH Mineral deficiency

Modern life is stressful, so it's no wonder we're tired all the time. In fact, there are so many demands on our attention and energy that we might not realize the reason why we feel so rough is because our body's mineral supply is running low!

Perhaps not as well known as some vitamins and minerals, selenium plays a highly important role in the body. Many of the symptoms of selenium deficiency mirror those of other minerals, so it can be tricky to uncover that it's the reason behind your lack of energy. But it's a lot more common than you might think.

Curious? Click on to discover if your tiredness is actually selenium deficiency.