The vital trace element selenium is an important part of our food and indispensable for muscle and nerve activity in the human body.  In its natural state it is found in the earth's surface.  As part of the enzymes in an organism, it protects the cells and binds free radicals.  Selenium helps vitamin E to function properly.  This is because vitamin E being fat soluble only, it cannot do its work in those parts of the body whose composition is water based; selenium, being water soluble, can reach those parts.  Selenium speedily breaks down metabolic waste products that can damage the cells and thus prevent detoxifies the cells.  Selenium is especially necessary for protecting the cells when strains caused by a bad environment - such as ozone, air pollution, smog, heavy metals and cancer-causing compounds - are exceptionally high.

Many people suffer from a lack of selenium.  This often shows through a weakening of the immune system which causes an increasing susceptibility to illnesses.  Numerous indications exist that a lack of selenium lowers the protection of cells and cell membranes and thus speeds up the ageing process.  The cause of the widely spread lack of selenium lies in bad eating habits and in geological circumstances.  For example, the agriculturally exhausted soil in Europe contains many times smaller amounts of selenium than agricultural soil in North America.

Cereals, vegetables, meat, fish and crustaceans are relatively good suppliers of selenium, but owing to fertilization and preservation of food not enough selenium is absorbed.  The daily amount of selenium that an average West European person takes in, is generally only just enough to prevent deficiency symptoms, but insufficient to strengthen the anti-oxydant protection system of the body.  As increasing the selenium supply through normal food-intake is very difficult in areas with a low natural availability of selenium, it is recommended that preparations which contain selenium are taken.