Selenium Deficiency
Recommended Daily Allowance of Selenium
The recommended daily allowance was established by the food and nutrition board, and is used for the general term of reference for a healthy diet. These guidelines include the average daily intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%-98%) healthy individuals. The adequate intake established when evidence is insufficient to develop and recommended daily allowance, but is still set to allow for a person to get nutritional adequacy.
The recommended dietary allowance of Selenium, according to the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of National Academies is the following: age one year to three years male 20 micrograms (μg) per day, age one years to three years female 20 μg, age four years to eight years male 30 μg per day, age four years to eight years female 30 μg per day, age nine years to thirteen years male 40 μg per day, age nine years to thirteen years female 40 μg per day, age fourteen years to eighteen years male 55 μg per day, age fourteen years to eighteen years female 55 μg per day, age fourteen years to eighteen years female pregnant 60 μg per day, age fourteen years to eighteen years female lactating 70 μg per day, age nineteen years and older male 55 μg per day, age nineteen years and older female 55 μg per day, age nineteen years and older female pregnant 60 μg per day, and age nineteen years and older female lactating 70 μg per day.
There is not enough information for the Food and Nutrition Board to establish a recommended daily amount of selenium for infants. They did establish an adequate intake based on infants fed by breast milk. Age zero to six months male 15 μg per day, age zero to six months female15 μg per day, age seven months to twelve months male 20 μg per day, and age seven months to twelve months female 20 μg per day.
Selenium Deficiency
It is very rare for a case of selenium deficiency to occur in the United States. This is because much of selenium deficiency simply depends on the actual amounts of selenium in the soil where plants are grown. There are large amounts of selenium in the soil of the United States, and there are very low amounts in the soil of different countries (China for example where there are higher amounts of selenium deficiencies because of their poor soil).
There are three specific diseases which are associated with a deficiency of selenium
Keshan disease is still seen in large areas of China. The lack of selenium in the soil leads to an average daily intake of less than nineteen μg per day for men and less than thirteen μg per day for women. Keshan disease results in an enlarged heart and poor heart function.
Kashin-Beck disease is caused by a lack of selenium and results in osteoarthropahty. Myxedematous Endemic Cretinism is also caused by a lack of selenium, and results in mental retardation.
The causes which occur most in the United States are normally associated with those people who are feed through an intravenous line because their digestive systems do not function. Those people receiving their foods from an IV should always be sure they are getting a proper amount of selenium.
Those at a Higher Risk of Selenium Deficiency
As opposed to other vitamin and mineral deficiencies, selenium deficiencies are associated much more with where a person lives and less with what they are eating. It is still important for a person to eat a healthy diet which contains selenium; however, most people do get enough selenium without serious extreme supplementation being needed. The only major group in the United States who are at a higher risk of selenium deficiency are those who suffer from a long term chronic disease.
Selenium Toxicity
Too much selenium in a person’s system can lead to selenium toxicity. One of the most common occurrences associated with selenium toxicity is a condition called selenosis. Fatigue, irritability, mild nerve damage, garlic breath, hair loss, gastrointestinal upset, and white blotchy nails are all symptoms which are associated with selenosis. Cases in the United States are very rare for selenosis; however, the institute of medicine has established a tolerable upper intake level for selenium.
The tolerable upper intake levels for selenium are as follows: age zero months to six months 45 μg per day, age seven months to twelve months 60 μg per day, age one year to three years 90 μg per day, age four years to eight years 150 μg per day, age nine years to thirteen years 280 μg per day, age fourteen years to eighteen years 400 μg per day, and age nineteen years or older 400 μg per day.
How to Get Enough Selenium
It is important for the health of the body to get enough selenium. There is also health concerns involved with a person getting too much selenium in their diet. For this reason it is important for a person to find a healthy source of selenium to supplement their diet.
Even through proper dieting it may be difficult for a person to get enough selenium in their diet. This may simply be a circumstance of the region in which they live. A good daily multivitamin may provide a person with the selenium their body needs. A good daily multivitamin will provide a person with just the right amount of selenium for their body type. When looking for a good multivitamin a person should try to find one which is gender specific.
Most vitamins and minerals are needed in different quantity depending on a person’s gender. A gender specific vitamin is designed to provide a person with the exact amounts their body needs in order to have a higher probability of health.
