b'Seleniuminsoilmakesitswayrapid clearance of the poliovirus withia (eosinophil deficiency).through the food chain to humans. Itfewer viral mutations. Deficiency of se- Organicallyboundselenium isknown(alongwithVitaminE)aslenium and/or Vitamin E enables RNA(bound to an amino acid like methi-an essential nutrient for making a keyviruses (like coronaviruses) to convertonine)exhibitsgreaterbioavailabili-antioxidant enzyme called glutathioneto more virulent strains. ty(~90%)comparedtoinorganically peroxidase. Impairedimmunityiscommonboundselenium(selenate,selenite), Thecurativeeffectisbelievedtoamong individuals who have seleniumboth of which are sold in health shops.beheightenedbycombiningseleni- deficiency. For example, a deficiency inThe Recommended Dietary Allow-um with Vitamin E, the two nutrientsselenium can lead to decreased T-cellanceforseleniumis55micrograms being required to produce the antiox- and neutrophil function, two types offoradultsand30microgramsfor idant enzyme glutathione peroxidase,white blood cells needed for immunityschool children, but those values are whichissuggestivethatmultivita- against viruses, says a 2004 report inconsidered low for optimal nutrition. mins providing both of these nutrientsTrends in Microbiology. Brazil nuts have the highest amount of would be a good choice. Even individuals with normal nutri- selenium (544 micrograms in 6-8 nuts) There are very high and very low se- tional status were found to be vulnera- withmeatandseafoodsalsobeing lenium soil levels in China. Most farmble to COVID-19 once mutations occur.rich dietary sources.soils in the U.S. are selenium replete. Selenium deficiency leads to increasedAccording to the Office of Dietary Highbloodstoragelevelsofironviral mutations in the influenza virusSupplements, the average daily seleni-(ferritin) in the body tend to increasegenome. um intake of Americans aged 2 years the severity of viral infections, whichCOVID-19ismutatingwithintheand older from foods is 108.5 mcg, and may explain why COVID-19 infectionsbodiesofinfectedhumansubjects.fromfoodsandsupplementsis120.8 strike more males than females. Men- Thirty (30) different strains of the virusmcg. Adult men have higher daily in-struating women tend towards anemiaare currently reported. One particulartakes (134 mcg from foods and 151 mcg astheydumpirononceamonthorstrain is 270 times more virulent thanfromfoodsandsupplements)than donate iron to their offspring duringotherstrains.Seleniumdeficiencyadult women (93 mcg from foods and pregnancy.Mentypicallyhavehigh- can result in a benign virus mutating108 mcg from foods and supplements). er iron storage (ferritin) levels than dointo a deadly viral strain. AdequateIntheUnitedStates,18%to19%of women,particularlymenconsumingintakelevelsofselenium,asatraceadults and children use a dietary sup-red meat. mineral to inhibit such deadly muta- plementcontainingselenium.Seleni-Selenium is also known as a con- tions,arethusofcrucialimportanceumdeficiencyisrareintheU.S.but troller of chronic inflammatory mala- tohumanhealth.Bothseleniumandnot in other countries such as the UK dies,includingacuterespiratorydis- Vitamin E are suggested when battlingwhereseleniumintakedeclinedby tress syndrome. COVID-19 infections. 50% when high-selenium wheat from In a very compelling study, a seleni- EosinophilsareatypeofwhiteNorthAmericawasreplacedwith um supplement was given to individ- bloodcellsthatfightsoffinfections.low-seleniumwheatfromEuropean uals with low-selenium status prior toAbout80%ofCOVID-19patientsareUnion countries.and then continually after the admin- reportedtoexhibitloweosinophil istrationofliveoral-attenuatedpoliocounts. Withdrawal of selenium from 2020 Bill Sardi, writing from La Verne, Califor-vaccine. These subjects exhibited morethe diet of animals induces eosinophil- nia. Reprinted here with permission by the author.H ealtHF reedomN ews /s ummer2020 27'