Choosing Over The Counter Selenium And What You Should Look For

A daily supplement of 200mcg of selenium coupled with 160mg Vitamin E reduces the symptoms of acne. And that'll end up being a lot cheaper than a bottle of Proactive. Selenium can reduce damage to the heart’s artery walls and reduces the fatty build-ups that can clog the arteries. It's no wonder, selenium supplements are becoming so popular.

If you're looking to keep your prostate gland and sperm healthy (And isn't everybody?), a diet rich in selenium or a selenium supplement regime might be just what the doctor ordered. Then again, maybe not. A doctor's order isn't a deal breaker for gaining access to selenium. The supplements are now readily available at your local pharmacy, right over the counter. The key is knowing what to look for.

What is Selenium?

Selenium is a rich mineral that works in conjunction with aloe and antioxidants, in turn, preventing cell damage by free radicals. Selenium is also instrumental in bonding with the mercury and arsenic that can make you sick. With important duties like that to tackle, it doesn't hurt to have a little selenium around, and lots of it.

Selenium Sources

The recommend daily dosage falls somewhere between 50 and 200 milligrams. People with diets that are rich in selenium have a lower risk of developing cancer than others.  Great food sources for selenium include:

• Brazil nuts
• Cashews
• Walnuts
• Fish like tuna and sole
• Grains like rice and wheat

Choosing Selenium Supplements Over The Counter

A daily supplement of 200mcg of selenium coupled with 160mg Vitamin E reduces the symptoms of acne. And that'll end up being a lot cheaper than a bottle of Proactive. Selenium can reduce damage to the heart’s artery walls and reduces the fatty build-ups that can clog the arteries. It's no wonder, selenium supplements are becoming so popular.

With so many options available, maximize your chances of choosing a good over the counter brand by discovering more about what to look for. Selenium occurs in staple foods, like corn, wheat, and soybean. Selenomethionine is the organic selenium analogue of the amino acid methionine. Selenomethionine can be put into body proteins in place of methionine, and serves as a vehicle for selenium storage in organs and tissues. Selenium supplements may also contain sodium selenite and sodium selenate, those are two inorganic forms of selenium. Selenomethionine is considered to be the best absorbed and utilized form of selenium.

Selenium can also be purchased in 'high selenium yeasts', which may contain as much as 1,000 to 2,000 micrograms of selenium per gram. Taking a daily supplement containing 200 micrograms of selenium per day could lower the risk of developing prostate, lung, and colorectal cancer.