Your Body’s Best Age-Busting Mineral
There’s no such thing as a magic bullet that fights aging and disease.
But there are a handful of nutrients that sure do come close.
One in particular has been shown to protect against heart disease, thyroid disease, cancer, and cognitive decline.
It also has numerous actions that directly combat aging, both inside and out.
Selenium is a trace mineral found in your diet that makes up an important part of enzymes and protein (called selenoproteins) that play a role in reproduction, thyroid hormone metabolism, and DNA synthesis.
Selenoproteins are powerful antioxidants that fight aging in numerous meaningful ways:
- They combat free radical damage, which can contribute to inflammation, aging, and disease.
- They fight chronic inflammation.
- They help control and remove misfolded proteins (like the kind involved in neurodegenerative diseases).
- They protect the skin from UV damage.
- They are associated with longer telomeres, which is considered a biomarker of aging.
So, it shouldn’t be surprising to find that higher levels of selenium are associated with a reduced risk of age-related conditions like coronary heart disease and thyroid disease, and that it can protect cells from DNA damage and mutations.
A deficiency in selenium, on the other hand, is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease and a decline in brain function.
In fact, some evidence has shown that older adults with low selenium levels have a higher risk of all-cause mortality than those with adequate levels.
All of this adds up to a key anti-aging mineral that could help you look younger, stay healthier, and live longer.
Excellent food sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, organ meats, and sardines.
P.S. I recently wrote about the BEST anti-aging technique for seniors. Read about it, right here.
SOURCE:
DeSoto, L. (2022, March 31.) Does Selenium Really Slow Aging? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/does-selenium-really-slow-aging
