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- Cancer Biology and Therapy: Selenomethionine Inhibits Growth and Suppresses Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) Protein Expression in Human Colon Cancer Cell Lines
- Cancer Biology and Therapy: Selenomethionine Inhibits Growth and Suppresses Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) Protein Expression in Human Colon Cancer Cell Lines
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Selenomethionine Benefits
Selenium is an essential mineral; selenomethionine is an amino acid-based type of organic selenium found naturally in food. Selenium supplements come in a variety of forms, including selenomethionine, used for numerous health-promoting purposes. As with any nutritional supplement, talk to your health-care practitioner before self-medicating with selenomethionine.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Selenomethionine Versus Non-Organic Selenium Supplements
Although all selenium supplements are thought to produce similar effects in the body, selenomethionine is more easily absorbed than non-organic forms of selenium such as selenate. Methionine is an amino acid, meaning it is a building block of protein. When you consume selenomethionine supplements, your body recognizes the selenium as the amino acid methionine and immediately incorporates it in into its protein stores. In fact, taking selenomethionine supplements results in plasma selenium stores twice as high as equivalent doses of non-organic selenium supplements such as selenate, according to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database 1.
- Although all selenium supplements are thought to produce similar effects in the body, selenomethionine is more easily absorbed than non-organic forms of selenium such as selenate.
- When you consume selenomethionine supplements, your body recognizes the selenium as the amino acid methionine and immediately incorporates it in into its protein stores.
Uses
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; 2003'). People also use selenium supplements such as:
- selenomethionine to help treat avian flu
- swine flu
- HIV/AIDS
- allergic rhinitis
- infertility
- gray hair
- abnormal pap smears
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- mood disorders
- arsenic poisoning
However, more research is needed to confirm the efficacy of selenomethionine supplements for these purposes.
Colon Cancer
Selenomethionine supplements may be useful for colon cancer patients, according to the July-August 2002 edition of “Cancer Biology and Therapy” journal 3. The journal tested the effects of selenomethionine on four different colon cancer cell lines, and selenomethionine inhibited the growth of all four 3. The study was preliminary, but concluded that selenomethionine shows promise for the prevention and treatment of colon cancer.
Considerations
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Selenium supplements such as selenomethionine are considered safe and well-tolerated when consumed in doses not exceeding the tolerable upper intake — 400 micrograms daily. However, excessive amounts may cause:
- nausea
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- nail changes
- fatigue
- irritability
- alopecia
- weight loss
Selenium supplements may also interact with medications such as anticoagulants, contraceptives and schizophrenia drugs. Take selenomethionine as directed on the bottle or as your health care practitioner recommends.
Related Articles
References
- "Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database”; Therapeutic Research Faculty; 2011
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, and James F. Balch, M.D.; 2003
- Cancer Biology and Therapy: Selenomethionine Inhibits Growth and Suppresses Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) Protein Expression in Human Colon Cancer Cell Lines
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Selenium
Writer Bio
Megan Ashton began writing professionally in 2010. When she isn’t writing, she works with clients as the owner of Total Health & Hypnotherapy. She graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Arts in communications then continued her education at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, where she became a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Megan is also a Clinical Hypnotherapist.