Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that people with higher blood levels of selenium are less likely to develop liver cancer. This is very important information for people at higher risk of getting liver cancer, which includes people with hepatitis, cirrhosis, heavy drinkers or people with a fatty liver.

Most of you know that Brazil nuts are a good source of selenium. However, this largely depends on whether the soil they were grown in was high in selenium. Most parts of the world are experiencing declining selenium soil levels. That means it’s hard to get enough of this essential mineral through diet.

Prof. Dr. Lutz Schomburg of the Institute of Experimental Endocrinology said, "According to our data, the third of the population with lowest selenium status have a five- to ten-fold increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma -- also known as liver cancer." 5 to 10 fold increased risk! That means increasing your selenium intake can offer significant protection against this typically fatal type of cancer. Other research has shown selenium helps to reduce the risk of colon cancer and autoimmune thyroid disease.

The researchers did say that they only studied the effects of a balanced diet on an individual’s selenium status, but for much of the world’s population it is impossible to get optimal selenium intake just through food. Apart from Brazil nuts, other foods that contain selenium are seafood, eggs and meat. If you are concerned about the health of your liver, I strongly urge you to take a selenium supplement. I think it’s so important that I’ve included it in my best selling Livatone Plus liver tonic.

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