==Special Precautions of Selenium==
[[Brazil nuts]] are high in selenium and an ounce (roughly half a dozen) provides 800 micrograms. That's about double the US recommended tolerable upper limit. *Overindulging regularly could lead to selenium toxicity. Symptoms may include Selenium supplements can be toxic to the human body if they raise selenium levels beyond what the body can tolerate. Massive overdoses taken all at once can result in kidney failure, breathing problems, and death. Too much selenium taken over a metallic tasteperiod of weeks or months can cause more gradual toxic effects. Early signs of selenium poisoning include vomiting, garlic odor on the diarrhea, fatigue, irritability, garlicky smelling breath, and numbness and loss of control in the arms and legs. Long-term effects can include hair loss, brittle discolored nails, fatigueskin rash, nauseaand loss of nails.*In one clinical trial originally intended to study whether a two hundred–microgram selenium supplement reduced skin cancer risk, rashthe researchers noticed that people receiving the supplement were 55% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Of interest, diarrheain the SELECT study noted above, runny nosethere was a trend toward more diabetes in the men who got selenium, cough but the numbers were not significant. * A recent epidemiologic study in which researchers measured serum selenium levels of more than 13,000 people found that people with low selenium levels were at higher risk for dying of cancer and nerve painall causes combined, but also noticed increased risk among people with the highest selenium levels. The researchers interpreted this finding as reason to be cautious about selenium supplements.*Selenium-containing has antioxidant properties, and antioxidant supplements may interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Patients who are another potential source in cancer treatment should talk to their doctor before taking vitamins, minerals, or other supplements.*According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, one compound of selenium, selenium sulfide (a chemical compound used in antidandruff shampoos, but not in supplements), might cause cancer if taken internally and therefore should not be ingested. Using these shampoos is considered safe because skin does not absorb selenium sulfide. Relying on this mineraltype of treatment alone and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer may have serious health consequences.Â
==The benefits of Selenium are==
*Researchers have found that selenium activates an antioxidant enzyme in the body. Antioxidants are compounds that block the action of free radicals -- activated oxygen molecules that can damage cells.
* Cancer : Studies that look at large groups of people have shown that in areas of the world where selenium levels in the soil are high, death rates from cancer are significantly lower than in areas where selenium levels are low. This finding held true for deaths caused by cancers of the lung, esophagus, bladder, breast, colon and rectum, pancreas, ovary, and cervix, as well as for total cancer deaths. However, studies that only look at risk factors or protective factors in large groups of people (as opposed to individuals) and compare outcomes cannot prove that any one factor actually influenced the outcome. Other factors could account for different outcomes, such as activity levels, carcinogens, access to health care, or other dietary differences. Such studies are considered helpful in giving researchers ideas for other kinds of studies, but by themselves are not considered very strong evidence.
*This mineral helps the body manufacture [[glutathione]], an enzyme required for proper detoxification of the body. Because toxic build-up in the body is linked to cancer, assisting your body with its natural, ongoing detoxification processes helps lessen your risk of cancer. In research, low dietary levels of selenium have been correlated with higher cancer incidence. Supplementation with selenium is a valuable cancer prevention tool. Selenium disrupts the carcinogenic process early and helps prevent tumors from forming. It inhibits DNA mutations and functions as an antioxidant.
*The mineral selenium is essential for the body's natural production of [[Coenzyme Q10]].
* Infertility : Scientists found that selenium, a natural antioxidant, plays a crucial role in the early stages of conception.
== Natural sources of selenium ==