downtown memphis personal trainer

At Energy Fitness personal training studio not only do we do personal training and massage therapy we also do nutrition coaching, meal plans and supplement recommendations. In early March when I went to pick up a marketing banner at The Mail Center in Memphis, the owner Mark asked me what supplements I would recommend for this virus going around as one of his customers said Selenium. At the time didn’t have a quick answer for him as someones supplement recommendations has many factors to consider.

Since we are all so different in our nutritional lifestyles, activity level, genetics and stress levels the recommendation we make for supplements is customized after having a conversation with you on all these factors.

What does selenium do?

Selenium is an essential mineral, meaning it must be obtained through your diet. Your body relies on selenium, an important mineral, for many of its basic functions, from reproduction to fighting infection. It’s only needed in small amounts but plays a major role in important processes in your body, including your metabolism and thyroid function.

The amount of selenium in different foods depends on the amount of selenium in the soil where the food was grown. Rain, evaporation, pesticides, and pH levels can all affect selenium levels in soil. That makes selenium deficiency more common in certain parts of the world, though it’s relatively rare in the United States. As you already know the United States is the perfect environment to create obesity and heart disease with the SAD diet (Standard American Diet) that includes too many processed foods and sugar.

Selenium acts as an antioxidant, may reduce risk of certain cancers, may prevent heart disease and mental decline, boost your immune system, reduce asthma symptoms,

Regardless of where you live, certain factors can make it harder for your body to absorb selenium. For example, you may have difficulty absorbing selenium if you are receiving dialysis, living with HIV, have a gastrointestinal condition such as Crohn’s disease, Graves disease or hypothyroidism.

An international team of researchers, led by Professor Margaret Rayman at the University of Surrey, has identified a link between the COVID-19 cure rate and regional selenium status in China.Publishing their findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers using data (up to 18 February), investigated possible links between selenium levels in the body and cure or death rates of those with the COVID-19 virus in China. Here’s a link to that Science Daily article.

How much selenium do I need daily?

Foods that contain selenium
How many of these do you or will you add to your diet?

Brazil Nuts – 1 oz/6-8 nuts = 544 mcg (great but not great if you are trying to reduce your fat and calorie intake)
Fish – yellowfin tuna – 3 oz = 92 mcg and sardines, oysters, clams, halibut, shrimp, salmon, and crab, which contain amounts between 40 and 65 mcg.
Ham – 3 oz = 42 mcg (be prepared to pay more for pork as prices will likely go up due to covid complications of processing and likely culling of almost 1.5 million pigs sadly)
Beef / Chicken / Turkey / 20-30 mcg per serving
Brown Rice – 1 cup = 19 mcg of selenium
1 Hard Boiled egg = 20 mcg
Sunflower seeds – 1/4 cup = 19 mcg
Mushrooms- 100 grams = 12 mcg
Oatmeal- 1 cup = 13 mcg
Frozen cooked spinach–  1 cup = 11 mcg
Milk & Yogurt – 1 cup = 8 mcg
Lentils – 1 cup = 6 mcg

Because many of us get into habits and eat the same foods because they are easy or because you just get stuck in a “I don’t know what else to eat!” rut we may not be getting enough variety in our diet causing vitamin or mineral imbalances. If you aren’t getting enough selenium in your diet or other nutrients that your body may need then consider either a source supplement or a generalized multi-vitamin or multi-mineral supplement. Supplement simply means giving your body what it needs from an outside source. Keep in mind that for fat soluble vitamins like vitamins A,D,E and K these should be taken with a little bit of fat to help increase their potential for good in your body.

You may wish to consider the following brands for your selenium or multi-vitamin/mineral needs:

M’Lis:This is the same company we use for our detox body wraps and some clients have used for detox program.

Metagenics: We have a practitioner as a sponsor to have these amazing science based products.

M’Lis Vital – Block out the ickies and bust up the yucks. Vitamin C, astaxanthin, ginkgo biloba and a handful of other synergizing herbs provide your skin and body with an outside defense from germs that may get you feeling (and looking) down.

When you’re on the M’Lis website check out their supplement called daily for a multi.

Metagenics – E-400 Selenium™ – provides the essential trace mineral selenium and natural-source vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect tissues from damage caused by free radicals. Metagenics has a great multi called Phytomulti with or without iron, while you are on the site, check it out.