Selenium deficiency is not easy to handle, but that has been taken for granted. Vitamins B and D usually take center stage, with most nutritionists and health experts failing to mention selenium deficiency.
What is its role?
Selenium needs to be taken with the same weight accorded to vitamins B and D. That is because of the crucial role it plays in several important bodily functions such as reproduction, endocrine, DNA synthesis, metabolic, and cardiovascular system processes.
The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) under the National Institute of Health has several recommendations to ensure wellness. According to it, children who are 14 years old and more should be given 55 micrograms every day.
On the part of the pregnant women, ODS has been calling out for them to stick to taking 60mcg every day. It goes a step further to speak out on the breastfeeding women who need an intake of 70 mcg daily.
An issue of concern
Different countries have different soil types, which has an impact on the selenium content in products.For example, countries such as China and Europe are said to have soils bearing quite minimal levels of selenium. That isn’t the same case for the United States, whose soil has got some higher levels of selenium.
These discrepancies affect cattle, which is why those in China and Europe experience selenium deficiency. This deficiency is so severe that the cattle end up getting affected by the white muscle disease. This condition usually causes oxidative stress, which in turn leads to the wearing out of muscles.
Effects of insufficient selenium
The lack of enough selenium in the body affects people differently. It implies that some will probably be more vulnerable than others.
For instance, pregnant women struggling with selenium deficiencies may experience miscarriages. Some will give birth to babies with a small weight, and in some cases, the organs of the fetus may be destroyed. Research has also proven that selenium deficiency could end up impacting fertility levels in both sexes adversely.
