Cancer has become one of the leading causes of death, with rates going up every year. The diet plays a major role and there is a lot of focus on selenium as an anti-cancer agent – both in the form of selenium-enriched functional foods and selenium supplements. Around one billion people worldwide are believed to lack selenium. According to a review article that is published in Foods, however, taking a daily supplement of 100-200 micrograms of selenium yeast can prevent deficiency and reduce some of the most common cancers by fifty percent.

Many women suffer from severe sleep problems during their menopause and it often reduces their work capability and quality of life. Supplementation with the natural sleep hormone, melatonin, may improve their sleep, according to a study that is published in Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology. The authors also mention that melatonin helps regulate the sex hormone balance and other metabolic processes that are important for good sleep.

Q10 has a key role in the cellular energy turnover and also serves as an antioxidant that protects the body against oxidative stress. Disruptions in the energy-producing mitochondria in cells and oxidative stress may also be involved in different types of hormone disturbances that affect the thyroid gland, pancreas, sex glands, pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands. In a new review article that is published in Antioxidants, scientists look closer at Q10’s role with particular focus on hyperthyroidism, type 2 diabetes, and poor sperm quality, all of which can be corrected through supplementation.

It is commonly known that pregnant diabetics have an increased risk of developing an eye disease called diabetic retinopathy. The diet plays a major role and it appears that a vitamin C deficiency increases the risk, according to a Danish study of pregnant type 1 diabetics that is published in the journal Antioxidants. The authors also mention that vitamin C is a vital antioxidant that protects cells and tissues against oxidative stress caused by free radicals.

Selenium is an essential trace element that affects the rate and development of several cancer types, including cervical cancer that is one of the most common cancer forms. Cervical cancer is often treated with a combination of radiation and chemotherapy and the side effects are known to affect the bone marrow and the formation of blood platelets and blood cells. However, supplementation with selenium yeast appears to counteract these adverse effects without interfering with the treatment, according to a study that is published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

Magnesium is involved in hundreds of chemical reactions in the body, including the activation of vitamin D that we synthesize from sun exposure or take in supplement form. For that reason, magnesium is essential for the immune defense and its ability to fight COVID-19. Moreover, low magnesium levels in the body can foreshadow complications in connection with a COVID-19 infection, according to a study that is published in Nutrients. The scientists therefore say that it is relevant to measure hospitalized patients’ magnesium levels and correct any deficiencies. Many people, especially older individuals, get too little magnesium from their diets, and several types of medicine can impair the uptake and utilization of the nutrient.

Poor sperm quality, which is a bit of a taboo, is one of the main causes of involuntary infertility. Evidence suggests that Western diets can impair sperm quality, whereas the Mediterranean diet does the opposite. Vegan diets are somewhat controversial, according to a review article published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Previous research has shown that supplementation with selenium, zinc, fish oil, and coenzyme Q10 can improve sperm cell quality.

Most people have experienced a normal headache, while migraines are far more complex. Although the pain can be caused by a number of factors, essential nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin D, magnesium, fish oil, and coenzyme Q10 may play a vital role according to a review article that is published in Current Pain and Headache Reports. The authors describe how certain nutrients affect underlying mechanisms that may prevent or mitigate different types of headaches.

Fish oil contains EPA and DHA, two omega-3 fatty acids with a number of different functions in the brain and nervous system. It appears that middle-aged people who consume more oily fish or who take fish oil supplements have improvements in their brain structure and cognitive skills. This was shown in a study that is published in Neurology. The study results are quite interesting because cognitive decline and dementia are increasing problems that affect millions of people worldwide. The study supports previous research where it was seen that having higher concentrations of DHA in the red blood cell can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 50 percent.

Biotin, one of the B vitamins, is essential for numerous metabolic processes, and a biotin deficiency may be associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). According to a new study that is published in Nutrients, a biotin deficiency can also have a negative impact on the intestinal flora and result in a suppression of symbiotic bacteria and a replication of harmful, dysbiotic bacteria. The scientists say that a disrupted gut flora caused by a biotin deficiency may contribute to inflammatory bowel disorders.

Yes, according to a new study published in Free Radical Biology & Medicine, lack of selenium lowers the kidneys’ sodium excretion via different mechanisms, and that leads to elevated blood pressure. The study results are highly relevant because hypertension and subsequent premature death is a growing global problem. Selenium deficiency is also a widespread problem. One billion people worldwide are believed to be lack this essential nutrient, primarily because of the selenium-depleted agricultural soil in large parts of China, Europe, and other places.