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Selenomethionine is an amino acid containing selenium that protects red blood cells and has anti-aging effects. It is found in plants and self-regulated in the body, but a deficiency can lead to immune system issues and thyroid dysfunction. Excess selenium can cause toxicity, and organic selenomethionine is absorbed better than inorganic selenite. Selenomethionine may also be effective as a chemopreventive agent for prostate cancer.
Selenomethionine is an amino acid that contains the element selenium. It is also known as Se-met or Se. This acid is not produced naturally in the human body and must be ingested. Only small amounts of selenium are required for the body to function properly. According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences (IOM), the recommended daily dose of selenomethionine is 45 micrograms (ug) for an infant and 400 ug for an adult.
This amino acid is necessary for the protection of red blood cells and their membranes from reactive agents. It works as an antioxidant, which can shut down these agents before they attack your red blood cells. It is activated by binding to proteins instead of methionine. Methionine and selenomethionine are interchangeably bound by proteins, and both are beneficial. Selenomethionine may also have an antiaging effect.
Selenium is found naturally in many plants, such as wheat, soybeans, and Brazil nuts. These sources are usually sufficient to maintain a healthy level of selenium in the body. Typically, this amino acid is self-regulated in the human body. This means that it is stored in protein until enough has accumulated, and then selenomethionine binding stops.
A selenium deficiency can lead to reduced cellular production of the immune system and an increased risk of death in patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Also, a lack of selenomethionine can affect thyroid function. Too little selenium can also inhibit the production of glutathione peroxidase, another of the body’s main antioxidant agents.
An excess of selenium can also have detrimental effects on the function of the body. Selenium toxicity can cause hair loss, fatigue, and white nails. In horses, too much of this amino acid causes alkaline disease, which results in misshapen hooves, hair loss, and weight loss.
Another form of selenium that can be ingested by humans is selenite. Selenite is an inorganic chemical compound, while all forms of selenomethionine are organic. A recent clinical study showed that organic selenium was absorbed at a 19% better rate than its inorganic counterpart.
In 2009, a study was conducted to determine the usefulness of selenomethionine as a cancer treatment. A group of prostate cancer patients was used, and it was determined that both Se-met and selenium were present in all their prostate cells. This has given researchers hope that selenium may be effective as a chemopreventive agent for prostate cancer.
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