Selenium is a trace element found to a varying extent in soil. It enters the human diet through plants such as whole grains and through the meat of animals grazing on vegetation containing selenium. This mineral naturally occurs in foods such as whole grains, seafood, garlic, eggs and mushrooms

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Why is selenium important in our diet?

It is believed that selenium helps fight diseases including cancer by neutralizing harmful elements called "free radicals," the unstable molecules that damage tissues. According to Dr. Richard A. Passwater, " Your body needs this mineral for the production of several important body compounds, including enzymes, or catalysts, involved in antioxidant protection and thyroid-hormone metabolism. It has been estimated that there are between 50 and 100 different selenium-containing proteins in the human body, including those that build heart muscle, red blood cells, and sperm."

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Don't I get enough selenium if I eat a healthy balanced diet?

Selenium occurs naturally in foods such as whole grains, seafood, garlic, eggs and mushrooms, but because much of the farming soil is nutrient depleted, it is important to supplement. "It is almost impossible for the average person to know how much (selenium) is in the diet because foods vary in their content depending upon where they come form. This is why the use of supplements is warranted in the case of selenium where it might not be warranted with other nutrients," comments Larry C. Clark, M.P.H, Ph.D.

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Has there been any research on selenium supplementation?

In 1996 an article was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) which was the Nutritional Prevention of Cancer (NPC) with selenium trial, conducted at the University of Arizona, Arizona Cancer Center, by Larry C. Clark, M.P.H. In this trial the Dr. Clark and his colleagues found significant reduction in cancer in individuals receiving a daily 200-mcg selenium supplement. As reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association researchers found that patients who took daily doses of selenium had 63 percent fewer cases of prostate cancer, 58 percent fewer cases of colon or rectal cancers, and 45 percent fewer lung cancers than those not receiving supplement.

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Are there different forms of selenium?

In the nutraceutical market selenium can be purchase either as a salt form or in an organically bound form. The salts are sodium selenite and sodium selenate and both have been shown to be less bioavailable than organically bound forms of selenium. The organically forms of selenium are high selenium yeast or selenomethionine. High selenium yeast contains multiple organic selenium compounds whereas selenomethionine is a single amino acid (methionine) with a selenium molecule attached to it. There are several qualities of high selenium yeast products with the best one to use being a product that certifies that it contains 100% organically bound selenium; as many high selenium yeast products can not certify this claim.

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Which form of selenium should be taken as a nutritional supplement?

Dr. Passwater: "Since we haven't really identified which dietary selenium compound(s) may protect against cancer, nor have we elucidated the mechanism(s) through which they act, I feel it is extremely important to stick with the exact supplement that has been proven effective in clinical trials which is high selenium yeast." As a natural nutritional food source, yeast replicates the mineral conversion process performed by most plants (i.e. garlic, broccoli). This natural plant process converts inorganic (low bioavailability, potentially toxic) minerals, selenium, to safer organic (high bioavailability, reduced toxicity) forms for improved nutrient utilization.

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Are there any current studies using High Selenium Yeast?

Yes, there are a series of cancer and health related trials currently underway using High Selenium Yeast as the intervention agent. Some of these studies are being funded by the following organizations: National Cancer Institute (NCI) [United States & Canada], National Institute of Health (NIH), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DOD), International Cancer Alliances

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How much Selenium should I supplement with?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)*: 1 to 6 years old: 20 micrograms (µg) 7 to 10 years old: 30 µg Males: 11 to 14 years old: 40 µg 15 to 18 years old: 50 µg 19 to 51+ years old: 70 µg Females: 11 to 14 years old: 45 µg 15 to 18 years old: 50 µg 19 to 51+ years old: 55 µg *Source: Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), 1989. The NPC study used 200 mcg. of selenium per day and there was not any noteworthy side effects to report. More is not better, at very high doses, selenium can be dangerous.

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Can I start taking selenium at any age or should I have started a young age for it to be beneficial?

According to Dr. Clark: "Selenium was almost equally effective in older versus younger people. It is never too late to start taking a supplement."

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Why use yeast to convert inorganic selenium to an organic form for human consumption?

Yeast naturally converts inorganic forms of selenium into organically bound seleno compounds forms in a consistent and controllable fermentation system. Organically bound High Selenium Yeast provides increased bioavaliblity for the human body compared to other forms of selenium, which greatly reduces the potential for toxicity.

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Is it safe to use a nutritional supplement that contains yeast?

Yes. "The yeast in nutraceuticals is dead, since the yeast manufacturing process involves a high-temperature, sterilization of the cream yeast immediately prior to spray drying . . . . By definition, an inactive yeast is dead and has lost its ability to reproduce in or out of the human body." Dr. Seymour Pomper a leading researcher working with the industrial food applications of yeast for over 40 years explains the differences between Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is used in nutritional supplements and Candida.

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What are free radicals?

To understand what free radicals are, it is important to know a little bit about chemistry. Atoms are comprised of a nucleus that is surrounded by electrons, which exist in pairs. Outside substances cause a single electron to be removed leaving the nucleus with an "unpaired" electron, thus creating a "free radical" which is very unstable and can cause cell damage. Such outside substances are: environmental pollutants, radiation, medicines, cigarette smoke, alcohol, stress, over exposure to the suns rays, and a high intake of polyunsaturated fats. Free radicals are involved in most chronic diseases. Several diseases that are believed to be linked to free radicals are cancer, heart disease, hardening of the arteries, and premature aging.

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What is an antioxidant?

Antioxidants are minerals and vitamins that can inhibit the formation of free radicals before they are able to cause damage by breaking down the molecules of the cell.

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Should I supplement with other antioxidants in addition to the selenium?

Selenium and Vitamin E each have specific functions in fighting free radicals, but they also have common functions to protect the body against free radicals. When taken together the body gets the benefit of each of their specific functions, plus their common functions complement each other to perform better as one than as two separate entities. It is believed that these two antioxidants can work together "synergistically" to prevent free radicals from damaging healthy cells and therefore reduce the risk of cancer.

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What is bioavailability?

Bioavailability refers to how readily and efficiently that body can use something. When speaking of a mineral like selenium, organic forms of selenium are used by the body better than inorganic salt forms, thus making them more bioavailable.

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With SelenoExcell® High Selenium Yeast, is there a problem with Candida?

Absolutely not because Cypress SelenoExcell® High Selenium Yeast is produced by fermentation using the common yeast organism known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Candida is a yeast infection caused by the pathogen species known as Candida albicans, collectively known as candidiasis. A yeast authority, Dr. Graeme M. Walker, has clearly shown that Saccharomyces cerevisiae produces a factor that kills the pathogen species, Candida. Therefore, it can help control candidiasis.

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Does the fact that soil levels of selenium vary in the USA depending on the region where a person lives make any difference whether a person should consume a selenium supplement?

Absolutely not because humans consume their foods from a variety of sources and not just from the city or region where they live. For example, which state did the cereal, poultry product, hamburger, tuna, bagle, or other foods that one consumed this week come from? They most likely were not produced from the state or region where one resides. Therefore, humans need selenium supplementation no matter where they live in the USA.

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More Information...

All About Selenium

Richard A. Passwater, Ph. D.
Avery Publishing Group - Garden City Park, New York

Dr. Passwater's most recent book, discusses the role that antioxidants play in fighting "free radicals" in the human body. He focuses on the benefits of selenium against cancer and heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, psoriasis, depression, thyroid function, fertility and many other common medical conditions.

Passwater recommends using a high selenium yeast supplement , which is the form of selenium that has been studied the most and has no noteworthy adverse effects.

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