For years I have been recommending patients to make sure they are getting enough selenium and if not, to supplement.
Selenium is researched to be potentially helpful for immune function, cardiac health, mental decline, cancer protection and thyroid health - The thyroid carries the highest concentration of selenium in the body.[1]
Selenium deficiencies may also create an opportunity for influenza viral infections to increase the damage they can do to the body.[2]
Also, very importantly, recent epidemiological research implies selenium deficiency has a negative effect on the Covid-19 cure rate.[3]
One study published back in 2001 showed that mice that were selenium deficient boosted the damage caused by influenza viruses and created new mutations in the virus. Even more concerning, was the finding that once this interaction occurred that the new mutations created a more virulent strain that made mice with normal nutrition (no deficiency) more susceptible to the newly virulent strain.
This possibility creates a situation where an existing “poor nutritional status may contribute to the emergence of new viral strains and might promote epidemics."[2]
Translation:
It may be possible for a population that becomes infected with a particular virus (cold and flu) and is deficient in certain nutrients, such as selenium, to cause that virus to mutate and become stronger. Then, when that virus moves on to affect NON-DEFICIENT populations, they are affected more severely, when they otherwise would have previously been UNAFFECTED.
Researcher Dr. Melinda A. Beck was quoted,
"We believe our latest findings are both important and potentially disturbing because they suggest nutritional deficiencies can promote epidemics in a way not appreciated before," Here we looked at flu virus because it hospitalizes more than 100,000 people each year in the United States alone. But what we found conceivably could be true for any RNA virus -- cold virus, AIDS virus and Ebola virus.” [2]
It is important to get enough high selenium foods in your diet, see the high selenium food list below.
If you are looking for a High-quality selenium supplement, this is my current clinical favorite...
In addition to high selenium food choices, for 20 years I have been a staunch advocate of consuming a sea vegetable such as Dulse, for a full spectrum of trace minerals in a highly bio-available food form.
Dulse has a complementary amount of selenium of about 3.25 mcg per capsule (10 mcg/.5 tsp powder). Together with all its other nutrients, minerals and a diet that includes high selenium foods, the average person will likely be able to meet and healthfully exceed the minimum selenium supply for their body.
Dulse is great in capsule or powder but if you would prefer capsules...
According to the USDA, below is a list of high-selenium foods:
|
Food |
Micrograms (mcg) per serving |
Percent DV* |
|
Brazil nuts, 1 ounce (6–8 nuts) |
544 |
989 |
|
Tuna, yellowfin, cooked, dry heat, 3 ounces |
92 |
167 |
|
Halibut, cooked, dry heat, 3 ounces |
47 |
85 |
|
Sardines, canned in oil, drained solids with bone, 3 ounces |
45 |
82 |
|
Ham, roasted, 3 ounces |
42 |
76 |
|
Shrimp, canned, 3 ounces |
40 |
73 |
|
Macaroni, enriched, cooked, 1 cup |
37 |
67 |
|
Beef steak, bottom round, roasted, 3 ounces |
33 |
60 |
|
Turkey, boneless, roasted, 3 ounces |
31 |
56 |
|
Beef liver, pan fried, 3 ounces |
28 |
51 |
|
Chicken, light meat, roasted, 3 ounces |
22 |
40 |
|
Cottage cheese, 1% milkfat, 1 cup |
20 |
36 |
|
Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked, 1 cup |
19 |
35 |
|
Beef, ground, 25% fat, broiled, 3 ounces |
18 |
33 |
|
Egg, hard-boiled, 1 large |
15 |
27 |
|
Bread, whole-wheat, 1 slice |
13 |
24 |
|
Baked beans, canned, plain or vegetarian, 1 cup |
13 |
24 |
|
Oatmeal, regular and quick, unenriched, cooked with water, 1 cup |
13 |
24 |
|
Milk, 1% fat, 1 cup |
8 |
15 |
|
Yogurt, plain, low fat, 1 cup |
8 |
15 |
|
Lentils, boiled, 1 cup |
6 |
11 |
|
Bread, white, 1 slice |
6 |
11 |
|
Spinach, frozen, boiled, ½ cup |
5 |
9 |
|
Spaghetti sauce, marinara, 1 cup |
4 |
7 |
|
Cashew nuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce |
3 |
5 |
|
Corn flakes, 1 cup |
2 |
4 |
|
Green peas, frozen, boiled, ½ cup |
1 |
2 |
|
Bananas, sliced, ½ cup |
1 |
2 |
|
Potato, baked, flesh and skin, 1 potato |
1 |
2 |
|
Peach, yellow, raw, 1 medium |
0 |
0 |
|
Carrots, raw, ½ cup |
0 |
0 |
|
Lettuce, iceberg, raw, 1 cup |
0 |
0 |
*DV = Daily Value. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed DVs to help consumers compare the nutrient contents of foods and dietary supplements within the context of a total diet.[1]
References:2. Selenium Deficiency Causes Flu Virus To Mutate Into More Dangerous Forms
3. Association between regional selenium status and reported outcome of COVID-19 cases in China
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