Benefits of Selenium

Benefits of Selenium

At Goat Milk Stuff, we have always used raw goat milk from our healthy herd of pastured goats to make our goat milk soap, goat cheese, and other goat milk goodies. Goat milk is high in many vitamins and minerals and is good for you whether you are drinking it or using it on your skin. One mineral that goat milk contains is a trace element called Selenium.

There are many benefits to a rich supply of selenium in your body. Here are a few for you to consider.

Selenium is a powerful antioxidant. Selenium acts as an antioxidant by reducing oxidative stress on the body. What you apply to your skin is important because your skin can absorb the skincare products you use. Using healthy, natural skincare like goat milk soap will offer your skin natural ingredients as well as vitamins and minerals.

The antioxidant effects of selenium can help prevent hair loss, infection, immunity issues and muscle weakness. Antioxidants also fight the free radicals which are caused by oxidation. Free radicals have been shown to possibly cause skin cancer, wrinkles, premature aging and many other issues including thyroid problems. Antioxidants like selenium can help fight these harmful effects of free radicals.

Selenium is important for thyroid health. Much of the selenium stored in your body is found in your thyroid. Selenium helps convert triiodothyronine or T3 into a form that your body can use. This hormone protects your cells from damage by free radicals.

A deficiency in selenium can lead to:

  • Hypothyroidism
  • Thyroid cancer
  • Goiter - or an enlarged thyroid.
  • Graves’ disease

Another way selenium affects your thyroid is in the production of iodine. Selenium is a building block of thyroid hormones. Without this critical building block, the risk of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (an autoimmune disease) increases.

In fact, many of the symptoms commonly seen with low selenium levels (such as hair loss, fatigue, infertility in men and women, weight gain, difficulty thinking) are the same symptoms that come from thyroid issues. There is little doubt that this antioxidant is necessary for thyroid health as well as the health of your whole body.

Selenium may help prevent cancer. Many scientists believe selenium plays a role in preventing skin cancer, as well as other cancers. By aiding in DNA repair, selenium goes to work on preventing the damage done by excessive exposure to the sun and the breakdown of cells due to free radicals in the body.

Studies indicate that high levels of selenium in the blood will lower the risk of cancers such as lung, breast and colon cancers.

Selenium reduces age-related problems. Selenium concentrations in the body are believed to decline with age. That is one possible supporting cause of dementia since signs of selenium deficiency often involve foggy mind and lowered cognitive abilities.

Studies suggest even marginal declines in selenium in the body increase aging and reduce your ability to fight debilitating diseases.

Since selenium neutralizes free radicals in the body, it is part of the front-line defense of anti-aging. Selenium can help prevent wrinkles and reduce the signs of aging not only on the skin, but in the body as well.

Selenium boosts your immune system. Studies suggest that higher levels of selenium in the blood correlate with a better immune response. Likewise, selenium deficiencies have been shown to lead to reduced immune cell function. So if you want to stay healthy, selenium is an important nutrient.

Selenium supplements are often given to people suffering from the flu, Hepatitis C, HIV, and tuberculosis. Studies indicate taking selenium supplements influences the immune system’s response by increasing T-cells (a type of white blood cell). This helps your immune response against several diseases.

Where do you find Selenium?

Selenium is an essential trace mineral present in water and soil. It is generally found in foods (such as meat, milk, grains, vegetables, some nuts, some legumes) or in the environment and can be organic or inorganic.

Many locations in the USA have a deficient amount of selenium in the soil. The amount of selenium in the environment is affected by rainfall, soil pH levels, and evaporation which makes selenium deficiency more common in certain parts of the country.

Severe selenium deficiency is not epidemic in the USA because many of our cereals, breads and other processed foods are fortified with selenium. But it is still a real danger that we are not getting enough organic selenium in our diets.

The amount of selenium found naturally in milk depends on the amount of selenium found in the soil where the animal grazes or in the soil where the hay the animal consumes was grown.

At Goat Milk Stuff, we give our goats selenium boosters to make sure they are getting a sufficient supply of selenium. They also have free-choice loose minerals to meet their other mineral requirements. Healthy goats equal healthy milk. We want the goat milk we drink and the goat milk we use in our goat milk soap to be as healthy as possible.

Most of our goat milk products contain selenium. If you are worried that you are not getting enough selenium in your diet, drinking goat milk and eating goat cheese may help and offers a tasty way to get this essential mineral into your body. It is not obvious how much selenium is absorbed through your skin, but using goat milk soap isn't going to hurt your selenium levels and may help.

Please be aware that too much selenium can be dangerous and you should never use a selenium supplement without doctor supervision and blood testing. Getting your selenium naturally through healthy foods and skincare is always best.


Disclaimer: We are not doctors, and do not attempt to treat, or diagnose any disease or deficiency. As always consult your doctor when considering any kind of supplements.

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.