Selenium & Sulfur Both elements share left / right-sided cell receptors and are essential to human health. While Selenium (Se) supplements have been readily available for many years, up until the mid 90's, Sulfur (S) requirements had to be met mostly through dietary sources, primarily eggs, onions and garlic. This created problems for people with below-normal sulfur (or sulphur) levels who couldn't tolerate these foods. With MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) entering the market, it immediately became so much easier to deal with medical conditions requiring larger amounts of sulfur as part of their treatment. Both, selenium and sulfur bind to a number of heavy, or toxic metals, with selenium being protective against cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and lead, while sulfur (being to a lesser degree protective of the same), is also helpful to lower aluminum levels. Sulfur interferes with the storage of copper , an essential trace element, however copper levels tend to be on the high side with many people, so this is generally a positive effect. It is interesting that patients with normal or below-normal copper levels rarely exhibit below-normal sulfur levels. In fact, the benefits of sulfur-containing supplements ( Glucosamine Sulfate, MSM ) on some forms of arthritis are not just a result of their positive effect on cartilage regeneration, but they are largely based on lowering elevated copper levels which promote joint degeneration, particularly - or more so - on the right side of the body. Of course, on those rare occasions when copper is actually deficient, sulfur-containing supplements - just like larger amounts of Vitamin C - should not be used, as they could trigger, or worsen existing inflammatory conditions. In addition, individuals with a tendency for blood sugar disorders (diabetes) should be aware of potential negative consequences on blood sugar management when supplementing glucosamine sulfate. Possible adverse effects of consuming higher amounts of sulfur-containing foods or supplements such as glucosamine sulfate, MSM, methionine, taurine, cysteine / cystine... include diarrhea, flatulence, or bloating, while a very small number of patients have complained of a "stomach burning" sensation. With sulfur being a calcium and potassium antagonist, high supplemental intake of glucosamine sulfate or MSM may worsen low calcium-related disorders such as insomnia, fatigue, anxieties, or bone loss, and they may worsen low potassium-related cardiac, or renal / genitourinary conditions.
Patients who are prescribed Potassium (Slow K, K-Lyte ), should be aware that the amount they take will have to be increased when supplementing MSM, or Glucosamine Sulfate also.
Various placebo-controlled studies have shown that 50 - 60% of test subjects had a positive response to a variety of joint / musculoskeletal types of injuries or arthritis as a result of supplementing MSM as a sulfur source. Equally impressive were placebo-controlled trials that showed improvement in hair growth, brilliance and thickness of hair fibers, as well as an overall improvement effect of 80% in regard to nail health, strength, thickness, and appearance. Other studies showed sulfur to be effective for faster wound healing, parasitic infections, reduced severity of sun burns, reduced allergic reactions, improved lung functions, including asthma, interstitial cystitis, and along with Vitamin C, sulfur helps to maintain elasticity and suppleness of the skin. All body cells contain sulfur-containing compounds. Those of primary importance in nutrition include cysteine, methionine, homocysteine, taurine, chondroitin, heparin, fibrinogen, thiamine, biotin, lipoic acid, Coenzyme A, glutathione, and inorganic sulfate. A most important function of sulfur is its role in carbohydrate metabolism, where sulfur is a component of insulin, the hormone secreted by the pancreas essential for carbohydrate metabolism. Low sulfur can result in low insulin production, so adequate amounts of sulfur in the diet can help with diabetes. However, there are some medical disorders that present with above-normal levels of cellular sulfur and/or selenium, in which case food or supplemental sources of sulfur or selenium should be reduced. Crohn's disease , a debilitating, chronic, and inflammatory disease of the gut is one condition where all sulfur (and sometimes selenium) sources should be kept to a minimum. In addition, diets should be kept as bland as possible to keep any flare-ups of Crohn's at bay, and rather than following general "wholesome" dietary recommendations, meals should be more processed and refined, with special emphasis on avoiding whole- grain products. This includes husks of corn / popcorn, wild rice, fiber-rich foods, skins of fruit, nuts, seeds, most raw vegetables and greens, lettuce, and particularly beans. Lou Gehrig's disease , or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is another disorder that presents with above-normal sulfur and selenium levels, which also requires avoidance of sulfur and selenium-rich supple- ments and/or foods, particularly the big three - eggs, onions, and garlic, although it should be emphasized that dietary sources are not the cause of Lou Gehrig's disease, but excessive storage of cellular sulfur and selenium. Nutritional factors that inhibit sulfur and selenium activity are listed further below under "Antagonists and Inhibitors." In contrast, some rare forms of ALS or Parkinson's- like diseases are attributable to mercury poisoning, in which case selenium supplementation can be a consideration for its mercury-lowering effect. Alzheimer's disease - like Lou Gehrig's disease - is affected by sulfur (and selenium) intake as well, how- ever, corresponding to the progression of the disease, sulfur levels become proportionally deficient to a point of no longer being measurable with terminal cases. So with Alzheimer's disease, the exact opposite dietary recommendations to ALS apply, where sulfur-rich foods (eggs , onions, garlic) and sulfur-containing supple- ments (MSM, methionine, taurine, cysteine / cystine) are very much indicated. (see also Acu-Cell Disorders "ALS / Lou Gehrig's Disease " and "Alzheimer's Disease "). Copper - like calcium - becomes bio-unavailable at excessive storage levels, and as such may trigger similar medical conditions at high levels as it does at low levels, whereby a number of co-factors are required to help with its metabolism. Sulfur, Vitamin C, chromium and molybdenum are all co-factors, which help normalize copper levels, and/or increase its bioavailability, and consequently help with related physical problems such as spinal / joint and vascular degeneration, or mental / emotional problems such as moodiness, "foggy" mind, memory problems, confusion, or ADD / ADHD .
Selenium supplementation is an effective way to reduce excessive mercury levels. I have monitored on a number of occasions a sharp drop in selenium levels when dental amalgams were removed , and where subsequently selenium slowly returned to previous levels again over a three to four week time period. When people have no heavy or toxic metal concentrations in their body (that bind to selenium), there are generally no negative symptoms experienced when taking about 200 mcg of selenium a day, however when Se is very low when first supplemented (perhaps due to toxic / heavy metal storage), and larger amounts are taken, adverse effects are very commonly experienced the first few weeks due to the heavy or toxic metals being eliminated by the body. In that case, I always urge my patients to slowly increase their selenium dose from as low as 25 mcg per day (or even lower), up to eventually the full dose, which generally is around 100 mcg, or sometimes higher, depending on circumstances. Organic forms of selenium (selenium yeast and selenomethionine, or selenocysteine) are always preferable to inorganic forms such as sodium selenite because of their better absorption and lower toxicity, even when ingested at much higher amounts. In contrast, due to its free-radical promoting oxidative nature, inorganic selenium is mutagenic and has caused cataracts at high doses in animal studies, while organic selenium is less toxic, and does not have mutagenic or oxidizing activity. Deficiency of selenium leads to lowered glutathione peroxidase activity (cardiovascular disease) and it is implicated with a higher risk for cancer of the liver (particularly from hepatitis B), lungs, breast, skin, rectum, colon, and prostate. It is unclear whether the lowered risk of developing certain cancers from taking about 200 mcg of Selenium per day also applies to individuals who previously exhibited normal levels of selenium, or only to those with lower levels before supplementing that amount. Although selenium and Vitamin E work together synergistically in that they carry out antioxidant and immuno- stimulating functions, they compete with each other on a biochemical level, where increasing the one requires an increase of the other, otherwise ratio problems occur. The same effect happens to Vitamin E when higher amounts of Vitamin C are supplemented, despite both being antioxidants. Although there are reports that Vitamin C inhibits selenium absorption by inactivating it in the small intestine or stomach, this is not supported by my own findings, or those by most other researchers. In fact, Vitamin C supports selenium uptake by preventing the inhibitory action of zinc on selenium (making Vit C synergistic to selenium instead), particularly when organic forms are used. On a similar note, while sulfur and molybdenum compete for uptake in plants, supplementing either one in humans helps uptake of the other by inhibiting copper, which is an antagonist to sulfur and molybdenum, so for practical purposes (and confirmed in thousands of clinical applications), they work as synergists with one another. There is an identical relationship between vanadium and selenium against chromium, resulting in the same synergism. Some people - because of media hype (more is better) - take several hundred mcg of selenium a day, but I usually advise my own patients against higher amounts - not so much because of selenium toxicity (although that does become a concern at higher amounts), but because of its antagonism to chromium, magnesium, zinc and other nutritional factors. Long-term excessive intake of selenium increases the potential risk of triggering shingles, or developing trabecular osteoporosis, an enlarged prostate, reduced glucose tolerance, cystadenoma (usually in the throat), neurological disturbances, or other negative consequences. Many people get away with mega-supplementation because they take a lot of everything, so one half of what they are taking cancels out the other half. It is when people start to overdose on single items (which they don't actually need), over longer periods of time, that they frequently run into trouble. ¤ ___________________________________________________________________________________
=================================================================================== Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is the latest term replacing daily dietary reference values such as Adequate Intake (AI), Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), Nutrient Reference Value (NRV), and Recommended Dietary Allowance / Intake (RDA / RDI). Selenium: DRI (RDA): 0-6 months 6-12 months 1-10 years 11-18 years 18 years + pregnant / lactating Therapeutic Range: Therapeutic Range: ___________________________________________________________________________________ Cellular / Intracellular Attributes and Interactions: Selenium Synergists: Phosphorus, vanadium,* Vitamin C,* [sulfur], Selenium Antagonists / Inhibitors: Chromium, zinc, magnesium, Vitamin E,* [sulfur], [toxic metals - arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium...], * see text above on the synergism / antagonism between Selenium + Vitamin E, Sulfur + Molybdenum, and others. Low Levels / Deficiency - Symptoms and/or Risk Factors: Selenium: Cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular disease, stroke, nerve degeneration, higher risk for some cancers, hypothyroidism (T3), arthritis, anemia, High levels / Overdose / Toxicity / Negative Side Effects - Symptoms and/or Risk Factors: Selenium (mostly inorganic forms): Nerve degeneration, osteoporosis, cystadenoma, ALS / Lou Gehrig's disease, shingles, loss of hair, abnormal nails, tooth decay, garlic breath, death, ___________________________________________________________________________________ Selenium Sources: Eggs, onions, garlic, brazil nuts, seafood / shellfish, brewer's yeast, whole grains, wheat germ, ===================================================================================
=================================================================================== General recommendations for nutritional supplementation : To avoid stomach problems and promote better tolerance, supplements should always be taken earlier, or in the middle of a larger meal. When taken on an empty stomach or after a meal, there is a greater risk of some tablets causing irritation, or eventually erosion of the esophageal sphincter, resulting in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). It is also advisable not to lie down immediately after taking any pills. When taking a very large daily amount of a single nutrient, it is better to split it up into smaller doses to not interfere with the absorption of other nutrients in food, or nutrients supplemented at lower amounts. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2000-2010 Ronald Roth
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