What You Need To Know About Selenium Deficiency
Selenium status differs greatly from one region to another. Thats because the selenium content of our food is determined by how much of this mineral was in the soil in which it grew. Some areas of the United States have more selenium-rich soil than others, but Europe tends to have lower selenium levels than America. Low soil selenium, and therefore a higher chance of deficiency, is more common in Eastern Europe, China, and New Zealand . In the case of New Zealand, this changed after the country started importing high-selenium wheat . Finland took a similar approach and started adding selenium to its fertilizer.This lack of selenium in the soil can even affect livestock. Sheep, goats, and cattle who eat a diet with selenium and vitamin E deficiency may develop a condition called white muscle disease in which the muscles degenerate from oxidative damage.Worldwide, between 500 million and 1 billion people have selenium deficiency . In the United States and Canada, selenium deficiency is very rare, but there are groups of people who are at a higher risk. People undergoing dialysis have a greater chance of developing a deficiency, as well as those living with HIV. Gastrointestinal conditions such as Crohns disease and celiac disease may also make it harder for people to absorb the selenium they need.
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What Gets Rid Of This Acne
When you stop using the product clogging your pores, the acne will slowly clear.
Sometimes, its easy to determine the product causing the breakouts. If youre using a hairstyling product that contains a lot of oil, such as a pomade, thats likely the culprit.
Give acne time to clear
After you stop using acne-causing products, it can take 4 to 6 weeks for the acne to clear.
The cause could also be something less obvious. Many hair care products, including shampoos, conditioners, styling gels, waxes, pastes, and sprays, contain oil. Even shaving creams and aftershave can contain oil. Youll want to consider whether any of these products could be causing your acne.
If nothing seems the likely culprit, stop using products when you dont see one of the following words on the label:
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Wont clog pores
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Diagnosis Of Selenium Deficiency
Diagnosing selenium deficiency can be done with a blood test, which indicated recent selenium intake. Hair or nail samples can also be taken which gives a better indication of long-term selenium status. Another test your healthcare professional may do is test your levels of glutathione peroxidase or other selenoproteins that require selenium to function.
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Selenium And Thyroid Problems
Evidence supports a link between selenium levels, iodine deficiencies and thyroid function, especially in women. Selenium is more concentrated in the thyroid than in other organ in the body, and it is important in the production and metabolism of thyroid hormone.
One analysis of 1,900 people in France found that among women a mild iodine deficiency, those with lower the selenium levels were more likely to develop goiters or thyroid damage compared with those with higher selenium levels, according to a 2003 article in the European Journal of Endocrinology. Subsequent studies have found similar links. However, controlled studies on thyroid health, where participants are given selenium supplements or placebos, have had mixed results. More research is needed to determine if selenium supplements can fight thyroid diseases.
Selenium And Heart Disease
Preliminary studies show selenium may play a role in heart health. Selenium reduces inflammation and prevents platelets a type of clotting cell in the blood from aggregating, which is necessary for blood clots to form. Blood clots can lead to stroke, heart attacks, kidney failure, pulmonary embolism and other problems.
A selenium deficiency may make atherosclerosis worse, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Animal studies have shown supplementing selenium after a long dietary deficiency reversed cardiovascular damage in mice. However, human studies on the subject have seen mixed results.
Some observational studies, where doctors track people but don’t randomly assign them to taking a supplement or a placebo, found that the lower the selenium levels in the blood, the higher a person’s risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. But other observational studies didn’t find a significant link between selenium levels and cardiovascular disease. Some observational studies even found the opposite trend higher selenium levels were associated with worse cardiovascular health, according to the National Institutes of Health .
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What Does Selenium Do
Selenium is a particularly important mineral because it supports the function of several systems. These include the endocrine, immune, and cardiovascular systems. The thyroid, part of the endocrine system, is the organ with the highest concentration of selenium per weight of organ tissue.
A suggests that there may even be a link between selenium deficiency and certain types of cancer. However, more research is needed to make any firm conclusions.
Selenium deficiency might also influence
National Institutes of Health recommends that people over the age of 14 try to get 55 micrograms of selenium per day. For women who are pregnant or lactating, this increases to 70 mcg. Anything over 900 mcg per day can be toxic. Signs of too much selenium include a garlic-like odor on your breath and a metallic taste in your mouth.
When foods high in selenium arent an option, selenium supplements can also help. Many multivitamins contain selenium, but you can also find it as a standalone product. Selenium supplements usually come in the form of either selenomethionine or selenite. Selenomethionine tends to be easier for your body to absorb, so it may be a better option for more severe deficiency cases.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesnt monitor the purity or quality of supplements like they do for drugs. Talk to your doctor before you begin taking a selenium supplement.
Medically Endorsed Hair Loss Treatments
In the UK, only two hair loss medicines are actually endorsed by the medical community, and have been proven to treat hair growth.
Prescription tablets:Finasteride
The most effective treatment for male pattern baldness is Finasteride . This prescription treatment is not available on the NHS, but you can order it through affordable services like our own LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor. Finasteride has been proven to stop hair loss in 90% of men with male pattern baldness.
Medicated foam/lotion:Minoxidil
Minoxidil is a lotion or foam that is applied to the scalp every day as an effective hair loss treatment. It is not as effective as Propecia, but has still been proven to stop hair loss and promote hair regrowth in 60% of men with male pattern baldness. Minoxidil is available without a prescription, through high street pharmacies or supermarkets. You can also order it online from our website.
References
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How To Know If You Have A Selenium Deficiency: Signs And Symptoms
Selenium is used by the body to create proteins , vital antioxidant enzymes that protect your cells from damage due to exposure to free radicals. They may offer some protection against heart disease and even cancer. Some selenoproteins also help with regulating thyroid function and maintaining normal immune system function.1
Selenium has antioxidant benefits for your body and is vital for protecting you from some chronic disease and maintaining normal function of some vital systems in the body. So what happens when your body doesnt get enough? You may not need a whole lot of selenium, but not getting enough of this trace mineral can still be problematic. Heres how to spot those telltale signs of a deficiency and know if your symptoms are linked to low selenium intake.
How Hair Is Grown
Did you know your hairâs already been growing for 2 weeks before it comes out of the scalp? Thatâs right! Luscious, healthy looking hair starts inside the scalp â about 4 mm down to be exact.
Itâs in a soft, vulnerable state and not yet mature, until it emerges from the scalp. Thatâs why the surrounding environment and the way you treat your hair is so important.
Understanding your hair type and how best to take care of it can make a big difference to how it looks and feels.
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Beware Of Too Much Selenium
According to this medical study about the role of vitamins and minerals in hair lossSelenium ingestion in an amount exceeding 400 g daily may cause toxicity. Symptoms of acute or chronic selenium toxicity include nausea, vomiting, nail brittleness and discolorations, hair loss, fatigability, irritability, and foul breath odor.
The Right Amount Of Selenium For Hair Growth
One way to make sure youre getting enough selenium for hair growth is by incorporating more selenium-rich foods into your diet. Foods rich in selenium include nuts, beef, tuna, eggs, beans, oatmeal and spinach.
However, you dont need to eat many of these foods to make sure youre getting enough selenium. The Huntington College of Health Sciences recommends a daily intake of 25 mcg to 50 mcg of selenium. A single large Brazil nut contains 140 mcg of selenium, so its usually quite easy to get enough selenium in your diet.
1 Brazil nut contains about 140 mcg of Selenium
If, however, you cant get enough selenium from your diet alone, you can also take a selenium supplement. Just be careful to follow the recommended dosage to avoid the risk of excess selenium hair loss, as we mentioned. According to WebMD, the maximum safe intake of selenium for adults is 400 mcg per day. So keep this in mind if you are taking a selenium supplement.
Even if youre eating a selenium-rich diet to address any selenium deficiencies, it can take several months for noticeable hair growth to occur. In the meantime, you can use Toppik Hair Building Fibers to disguise areas of thinness. And style hair with Toppik Hair Fattener Advanced Thickening Serum to add extra volume and body to fine or thin hair.
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Foods That Prevent Hair Loss
If you are worried about a lack of hair, the good news is that you can control hair fall with a proper diet. There are many foods that cause hair loss, and just as many that curb it. The right foodswill boost your nutrition and, therefore, reduce hair fall.
1. Vitamin C
First of all, is Vitamin C. This compound is necessary for overall well-being. It not only helps us fight the flu but also synthesizes collagen. The lemons and oranges that we take in support hair follicles and keeps the scalp healthy.
Researchers explored the effects of an oral supplement, which contained Vitamin C, on women who experienced hair fall. They compared two groups of women, one which took a placebo, and another that consumed the supplement. The women who tried the supplement had less hair fall.
2. Load Up On Protein
We can attribute many of our hair loss problems to a lack of protein. Consuming more lean meat builds muscles and helps with weight loss. Doing so also helps reduce hair fall. This study shows that nutrient deficiency and reduced protein can lead to alopecia.
3. Take Vitamin B
The B group of vitamins also has a part in preventing hair fall. Shellfish and poultry have a good supply of pyridoxine, which prevents the graying of hair. Such foods aid in forming hemoglobin that stops hair loss.
4. Eat foods with Silica
5. Copper And Zinc
6. Sulfur
7. Iron
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Thinning Hair For Women
Head & Shoulders scientists have found out that dandruff weakens hair: Hair growing from a dandruff-irritated scalp has more surface damage, and a weaker protein structure. Scratching can also contribute to hair damage. Weak hair is more prone to break.
Fortunately, there is a way to keep hair strong: using Head & Shoulders regularly. Head & Shouldersâ shampoo helps keep scalp in good shape by prevent dandruff-related hair damage, so your hair can be healthy and strong.
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It delivers 2X fuller*, stronger** hair in just 2 weeks Shampoo and conditioner with active ingredient Pyrithione Zinc helps eliminate dandruff and related hair damage, to keep hair strong
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*bulk fullness non-conditioning shampoo + Full & Strong Advanced Thickening Treatment vs. dirty/unwashed hair
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How Diet Affects Hair Loss
Hair loss is a common condition known as alopecia in the medical field.
It has many known causes, including (
- infection
- chemotherapy
4 ).
Hair typically grows at a rate of 0.35 mm per day. The scalp sheds about 100 hairs per day, which can increase with hair care practices like washing and brushing .
Hair follicles are highly active and sensitive. In fact, hair follicle cells are among the most rapidly dividing cells in your body, so its no surprise that nutrient deficiencies can negatively affect hair growth .
Can Dandruff Cause Hair Loss
Dandruff, as well as anti-dandruff shampoos and medicated shampoos, are not probable causes of hair loss. These treatments commonly use antifungal agents to address a potential fungal infection from Malassezia. You may see zinc pyrithione , selenium sulfide, or ketoconazole as the active ingredient listed on the bottle. None of these ingredients are known to cause hair loss. Some treatments contain salicylic acid, which can help prevent flaking by removing excess dead skin cells from the scalp. While these kinds of ingredients have been known to cause irritation, shampooing with any of them shouldnt cause hair loss.
Severe dandruff, however, can cause intense itching and scratching, which can result in damage to the hair follicles and subsequent hair loss, but its not a common occurrence. Hair loss associated with mild scratching is usually reversible once the itching and the irresistible urge to scratch are brought under control. However, damage to hair follicles due to intense scratching may be irreversible due to possible scarring. Seeking treatment for your dandruff as soon as you notice it may help alleviate the itching faster, diminishing the chance youd scratch enough to cause this type of irreversible damage.
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How Much Selenium Should You Take Each Day
Well, it depends on who you ask…
The RDA for selenium is somewhere around the 40-55mcg range depending on your age .
But the problem with the RDA is that it’s set for 97% of the population , the RDA is set for only the minimum amount necessary to avoid deficiency, and it doesn’t take into account conditions where taking more may actually be beneficial.
There’s real evidence to suggest that using the RDA is not sufficient for most people, and while it may stave off overt deficiency it’s not enough for people to thrive.
Because of these known issues, other organizations and physicians have recommended higher doses than the 40-55mcg range.
And while these doses are better at helping people feel better and improving symptoms, they also run a slight risk that you may take too much.
Daily selenium intake in the 400mcg to 600mcg range has been recommended in many circles and many patients have had great success using these doses.
In fact, studies have shown that humans can tolerate 600mcg per day for long periods of time without any issue.
Even though the studies have shown this, I have personally seen people experience issues when consuming 600mcg per day.
My recommendation is to stick to the 100mcg to 200mcg per day range.
This ensures that you are supplementing with a sufficient amount to meet your body’s requirements but also not too much that you won’t tip yourself over the edge with selenium found in your diet.