In an online article in the Cleveland Clinic’s Health Essentials series, the registered dietician Kayla Kopp explains that selenium is an essential trace element that helps thyroid gland function and reproductive function, among other health benefits [Cleveland Clinic 2023].
What does it mean that selenium is an essential trace element? Answer: our bodies need adequate selenium to function well. However, our bodies cannot synthesize selenium. We have to get our selenium from our food.
What are the health benefits of adequate selenium intake and adequate selenium status? Answer: Kopp says that selenium is important for the following reasons [Cleveland Clinic 2023]:
- helps to protect our cells from damage
- promotes good thyroid function
- promotes good reproductive function
- plays a role in DNA synthesis
Selenium Supports Thyroid Health
The thyroid gland is responsible for producing and releasing the hormones that control our metabolism. The metabolism rate is what determines how rapidly or slowly our bodies convert food into energy. The selenium we absorb from our food or from supplements gets converted into selenoproteins. These selenoproteins then help to regulate our thyroid hormones [Cleveland Clinic 2023].