It is also needed to activate thyroid hormones. Selenium is found mainly in plants, and is most common in foods grown or raised in a selenium rich environment.
Selenium enhances the antioxidant effects of Vitamin E .
Most people do not get enough selenium in their diets. However, intense deficiencies are rare. Recent studies suggest that selenium supplementation can drastically reduce the chance of death from cancer. 1 Selenium deficiency can greatly increase the risk of asthma . In studies, it has been shown to cause clinical improvement, though lung function tests do not appear to show the same results.