Description
The micro-mineral selenium is needed in the diet on a daily basis, but only in tiny amounts. It is found in many common food sources, yet most of us are highly deficient. Selenium deficiency can lead to several serious conditions – including cancer, heart disease and heart enlargement. Are you deficient? Selenium Level Testing could help you answer that.
The micromineral selenium is needed in the diet on a daily basis, but only in very small amounts. It is an essential element in several metabolic pathways, and appears to promote antioxidant activity in the body.
Selenium helps to protect against toxicity from heavy metals like mercury, cadmium and silver. Some studies suggest that selenium may reduce the incidence of cancer and cataracts.
Several research reports indicate the inverse relationship between higher blood levels of selenium and mortality from cancer including lung, colorectal, prostate and skin cancer.
Selenium helps to prevent oxidative stress by working together with other antioxidants that prevent oxygen molecules from becoming too reactive. In many instances of disease, eg. heart disease, where oxidative stress has been shown to be the source of blood vessel damage, low intake of selenium has been identified as a contributing factor to the disease. Similarly, in rheumatoid arthritis, where oxidative stress damages the area inside and around the joints, dietary deficiency of selenium has been shown to be a contributing cause.
In addition to iodine, selenium is a critical mineral for the maintenance of proper thyroid gland function. Selenium helps to regulate the most active thyroid hormone, T3, and controls its production.
Recent studies have also shown promising results for selenium for the prevention of cancer. Selenium has shown to induce DNA repair and synthesis in damaged cells to inhibit the development of cancer cells and engage the self-destruct sequence the body uses to eliminate worn out or abnormal cells.
Deficiency symptoms for selenium are often difficult to determine, however if there is a genetic predisposition for cancer, heart disease or joint problems in your family, it is important that you get your levels checked.
With prolonged deficiency, symptoms clearly centre around two of the body areas where oxidative stress is known to take its toll – the heart and the joints. Selenium deficiency can cause conditions where heart arrhythmias, loss of heart tissue, heart failure and weakness can result. For joints, low selenium intake can result in deterioration of the joints and tissues. When selenium deficiency is partnered with malnutrition; muscle weakness, muscle pain, discolouration of hair or skin and whitening of fingernail beds can arise.
What will I get from the test?
After completing the selenium test, you will have a personalised guide to your current selenium levels and an ideal strategy for how to stabilise them. There will be no more running from practitioner to practitioner in the search for an answer – the information provided is priceless and could provide an end to your symptoms.
Most importantly, Emed will analyse the test results for you and provide an easy-to-understand but comprehensive manual and allergy report. The comprehensive manual will show you:
- What your selenium level is, and what it should be
- What strategy to take in order to stabilise your selenium level
- How the different foods in your diet may be affecting your selenium level
- Which exact natural medicine is right for you based on your individual result
- What dosage and time to take your natural medicine
- Dietary suggestions and information to promote optimal health
- Ongoing online support from Dr. Hooper and The Emed Team to help you implement the dietary changes and get the best results from the Test
What does the cost cover?
The Initial website cost covers the processing of all information and interpretation and collation of final results into your personalised comprehensive report.
All fees for the physical blood tests and transportation are to be covered by yourself at time of appointment.
You will be given a referral after purchasing this test to take to your nearest blood collection centre. Approximate cost for the Selenium Test is $55.00.
