The Anti-Aging Benefits of Selenium

Selenium is a powerful nutrient that plays a significant role in various body processes. This article describes the anti-aging benefits of this essential mineral.

A balanced diet helps in boosting and maintaining overall health, especially as one gets older. If you are experiencing issues with metabolism and thyroid or are looking for a way to protect yourself from age-related diseases, you should consider incorporating selenium into your diet. Read on to understand how this vital trace mineral contributes to healthy aging.

Boosts the Immune System

Selenium is a mineral that is not as popular as magnesium or potassium. Studies describe it as a trace mineral because the human body only needs it in small amounts. You can find the nutrient in natural foods or dietary supplements.

This essential mineral prevents unhealthy aging by strengthening your immune system. The white blood cells play the role of immune defense in your body. Selenium boosts these cells’ function by fighting against viral and bacterial skin infections.

Selenium Is a Powerful Antioxidant

The role of antioxidants is to protect cells from the damage that free radicals cause. Free radicals assist in maintaining health by protecting the body from different illnesses. However, stress, smoking, alcohol consumption and other factors can cause the production of excess free radicals.

Consequently, a person experiences oxidative stress, which further damages healthy cells and causes heart disease, cancer and premature aging. In such a situation, this mineral acts as an antioxidant, neutralizes the excess free radicals, reduces oxidative stress and prevents cell damage and premature aging.

Reduces the Risk of Skin Cancer

Another anti-aging benefit of selenium is minimizing the risk of various cancers, including skin cancer. This happens because the nutrient can reduce DNA damage, strengthen your immune system and eradicate cancer cells. However, this benefit is more common among people who obtain the mineral from natural foods rather than supplements.

Reduced Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is closely associated with aging. Stress, ultraviolet rays and lack of minerals are its primary causes. According to dermatologists, inflammation cytokines eventually damage the skin. Consuming selenium can prevent the issue by fighting the cytokines.

Prevents Acne and Promotes Skin Healing

Healthcare providers recognize selenium as an anti-aging mineral because it decreases the occurrence of acne.

Additionally, it promotes skin healing, especially when working together with vitamin E. The two boost glutathione, which further facilitates the fast growth and healing of skin cells. New cell growth fights premature aging.

Prevents Heart Disease

Biological aging involves metabolic imbalance, increased vulnerability to diseases and changes in an individual’s immune system. For instance, older adults are more susceptible to heart failure than teenagers and youths.

Selenium acts as an anti-aging nutrient by preventing various age-related health conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases. This trace mineral reduces cholesterol oxidation and blood clots in the heart, hence reducing the risk of heart disease. Therefore, maintaining a selenium-rich diet will keep your heart strong and healthy.

Facilitates Thyroid Health

It is important to note that thyroid tissue has a higher selenium concentration than other body organs. This powerful mineral enables the thyroid gland to function properly and protects it from oxidative damage. It also facilitates the production of adequate thyroid hormones, which further regulate growth and development.

Boosting Cognitive Abilities

Serum selenium levels continue to decline as you grow older. Inadequate selenium concentration sometimes causes age-related deterioration in brain function. This information suggests that increasing the mineral levels can improve older adults’ cognitive processes.

Boosting Selenium Intake

Now that you know the anti-aging benefits of selenium, it is crucial to know how to boost its intake. You should consider consuming selenium-rich foods, such as cow liver, tongue, heart and kidney.

Brazil nuts and organic-raised fowl like turkey also contain selenium in high amounts. As mentioned before, your body only requires mineral amounts of this nutrient. Therefore, you should only consume these foods in small quantities.

To boost your beauty and anti-aging regimen, you should also take other additional minerals that contribute to good skin health.

In summary, selenium is an essential anti-aging nutrient. It prevents different signs of aging by minimizing skin damage, preventing skin cancer, boosting the immune system, promoting skin healing, reducing inflammation and preventing skin cancer. Besides fighting premature aging, this potent mineral will also protect you from aging-related diseases.