Have you heard of selenium? It’s a powerful mineral needed by your immune system. Not getting enough selenium weakens your immune system and makes it harder to fight viruses. A lot of people aren’t getting sufficient selenium because levels are depleted in the soil. This could be placing your health at risk.

I have written extensively about how to strengthen your immune system in my latest book Corona and other dangerous viruses.

Selenium acts on the genetic material of viruses (its RNA or DNA) and has three highly valuable effects:

  1. Inhibits the ability of the virus to multiply (replicate)
  2. Reduces the ability of the virus to mutate into a more aggressive (virulent) form
  3. Increases the chances that the virus will stay inactive or less active and not harm you

A normally harmless virus can become much more destructive in a person who is selenium deficient. Selenium-deficient mice infected with a mild strain of influenza virus developed much more severe and protracted inflammation of their lungs, compared to selenium-plentiful mice infected with the same virus.

A lack of selenium causes a decrease in the production of selenium dependent proteins that keep viruses under control. This is serious and can result in worse outcomes for people infected with many types of nasty viruses including hepatitis A and B viruses, Ebola, polio, AIDS, influenza and the human papilloma virus (which causes cervical and oral cancer). People with insufficient selenium are at greater risk of developing autoimmune disease  or chronic fatigue syndrome after an infection.

Persons with AIDS have a higher requirement for selenium and unless they supplement with it there will be a steady decline in their blood levels of selenium. This is probably because the immune system uses up the selenium more rapidly to help it fight the AIDS virus. Studies have shown that patients with AIDS who experience more rapid drops in their blood selenium levels do not do as well as those who don’t – the rapid loss of selenium results in a greater chance of developing full blown AIDS and dying from it.

Amazing properties of selenium

Researchers like Dr. Gerhard Schrauzer have for many years been accumulating evidence for the potential benefits of selenium, not only against cancer, but also in viral diseases only to be widely ignored by “mainstream” researchers and clinicians. Adequate levels of selenium are necessary for the immune system, and particularly T-cells, to function properly. In the most recent studies, there is compelling evidence that selenium status is actually a significant predictor of outcome in HIV infection, and that the relative risk for mortality is much higher in selenium deficient patients.

We must seriously consider evidence suggesting that there may be a global trend towards a decrease of selenium in the food chain, caused by various factors, including modern agricultural practices, fossil fuel burning and acid rain. Studies have shown that selenium levels in the British diet have decreased by almost 50% over the last 22 years.

If dietary selenium levels have decreased so drastically over 22 years in Britain, a wealthy and highly developed nation, then what is the situation in rapidly developing Third World countries? In light of the evidence showing that selenium deficiency is associated with adverse outcomes in viral infections, and can foster the emergence of more virulent viral strains, any localized or global depletion of selenium in the food chain could be a significant factor contributing to our increased susceptibility to emerging viral diseases.

Along with selenium, I typically notice many of my patients are low in vitamin D and iodine. These nutrients help to support a healthy immune system, healthy thyroid gland and healthy hormone levels.

An inflamed gut which is not able to absorb nutrients that are required for immune competence is very common and can be caused by celiac disease, food intolerance, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, Candida infection, high sugar diets and several other factors that create leaky gut syndrome. Glutamine is very good for healing the gut lining and improving nutrient absorption.

My Selenomune Designer Energy capsules contain organic selenium (as Selenopure Selenomethionine, L-Selenomethionine and Sodium Selenite). There is 200 mcg of selenium per capsule along with other immune supporting nutrients including vitamin C, iodine, zinc and several others.  One to two capsules per day provides a powerful dose of selenium to help the body fight viral infections.

 

References available here

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

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