Did you know that our IV therapy Toronto lounge can add selenium to your multi-vitamin and mineral drip? This is a type of infusion used as adjunct support for cellular functioning. It plays an important role in supporting the immune system and guarding against oxidative stress.

At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, tailored IV therapy drips  may be used as adjunct support for acute and chronic illness issues, such as those linked to immune function, declining brain function, thyroid health, and more. When poor cellular health is behind your symptoms, intravenous selenium may be offered as additional support to other strategies, such as dietary/lifestyle modifications. Here, we highlight some facts about selenium, how it impacts your wellness, and its administration as intravenous therapy. 

What is selenium?

Selenium is a mineral and a key ingredient for IV therapy drips because it acts as a powerful antioxidant. “Selenium is a component of selenoproteins and enzymes. These have antioxidant properties that help to break down peroxides, which can damage tissues and DNA, leading to inflammation and other health problems,” confirms the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

Surprisingly, iodine and selenium have a synergistic partnership in the human body. Iodine is an element of the thyroid hormone, and selenium alters the thyroid hormone into a working format. When you either lack or have excessive amounts of selenium or iodine, this can hinder your thyroid hormones and overall wellness. 

Regarding mineral deficiencies, lacking selenium is rare in North America. But a deficiency can happen when you struggle with malabsorption, eat primarily a plant-based diet, have kidney failure, HIV/AIDS, cardiomyopathy or Kashin-Beck disease. Thus, selenium supplements can promote optimal functioning when merged with functional medicine programs and lifestyle adjustments.

Beneficial effects of selenium

When you regularly supplement with the mineral and practice a healthy lifestyle, these advantages might be noticed: 

• When combined with key nutrients, selenium could aid in managing mild-to-moderate asthma: In one study of asthmatic patients and healthy participants, the minerals zinc, copper, and selenium were measured. Comparing the two groups of participants, it was revealed that unbalanced amounts of these minerals heightened oxidative stress and inflammation; this resulted in weakened lung function in asthmatic subjects. 
• Could help lessen the side effects of radiation therapy: Studies have shown that patients on radiation therapy (RT) could benefit from selenium: “Selenium supplementation during RT is effective in improving blood selenium status in selenium-deficient cervical and uterine cancer patients and reduces the number of episodes and severity of RT-induced diarrhea,” confirms the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.
• Capable of offering an immune boost: As a potent antioxidant, the mineral could contribute to immune function. A selenium deficiency can weaken immune cells, thereby increasing oxidative stress and impairing bodily functions. Some scientists consider selenium to be such a necessary need, that they believe it should be studied often for its impact on the elderly and their immune systems. 
• May contribute to improving thyroid health: Your thyroid houses enzymes that contain selenium. According to the International Journal of Endocrinology, selenium supplements could play a part in upkeeping thyroid health, especially if you suffer from an autoimmune disease. The journal reports that, “…selenium supplementation of patients with autoimmune thyroiditis is associated with a reduction in antithyroperoxidase antibody levels, improved thyroid ultrasound features, and improved quality of life.”
• Could potentially safeguard the body against heart disease: Did you know that selenium supplementation could boost your glutathione levels? Glutathione is another powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory components; the body thrives off of glutathione for cellular function and for detoxifying purposes, such as removing oxidative stress. By offering preventative oxidative stress measures and increasing glutathione levels, selenium could help lower your heart disease risks. 

Are you interested in selenium as one of the ingredients for your next IV drip? Keep reading to learn about our IV Lounge. We carry a wide range of beneficial ingredients, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, glutamic acid, folic acid, amino acid building blocks, major antioxidants, and more. 

How IV therapy works in our Lounge

If you’re an existing patient at our clinic, please book an appointment to discuss blending selenium into your next therapy drips. New to our clinic? Read these points about our vitamin IV Lounge:

• Each vitamin drip treatment is supervised by our medical doctor, naturopathic doctor or nurse practitioner. Also, we use natural ingredients! Our IV treatments do not contain added preservatives and are freshly compounded – we only use safe ingredients to nourish our patients.
• Intravenous drips and therapeutic doses are customized in line with integrative functional medicine wisdom. IV therapy is also tailored according to the core components of your individuality; this includes understanding your medical history, genetics, lifestyle, environmental factors, and results from your lab tests. 
• Lab testing may be recommended to verify a nutritional deficiency and/or to quantify environmental toxins in your body, measure hormone levels, etc. This will be offered during your complete diagnostic session, which is your first appointment to discuss health goals, chief health concerns, and what’s required for customizing your treatment plan. 

About the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre

How can we help you reach optimal function? At our clinic, an integrative approach to health care is embraced, which means health strategies from other modalities may be utilized. Next to Western medicine, our functional medicine treatments may include acupuncture, bio-identical hormone therapy, naturopathy, Chinese medicine, and other modalities. 

Our functional medicine providers may recommend IV therapy as a personalized service for adjunct support, especially to correct deficiencies related to essential vitamins and minerals. IV nutrient therapy is suitable for upgrading blood cell production and hydration. Our vitamin IV therapy may be applied to health concerns related to: chronic fatigue, aging effects, tissue repair, chronic inflammation, autoimmune conditions, blood pressure regulation, blood sugar levels, post-disease symptoms, much-needed energy, and skin elasticity. 

Achieve optimal health with the help of vital nutrients, lifestyle modifications, and more! New patients are welcome for IV therapy at the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre – request your initial consultation by clicking here.  

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

Recommended Reading: Connecting Pesticides to Male Infertility: Uncovered by Our IV Therapy Toronto Lounge

References

Cai Z, Zhang J, Li H. Selenium, aging and aging-related diseases. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2019 Aug;31(8):1035-1047. doi: 10.1007/s40520-018-1086-7. Epub 2018 Dec 3. PMID: 30511318.

Gill, Harsharn, and Glen Walker. “Selenium, immune function and resistance to viral infections.” Nutrition & dietetics 65 (2008): S41-S47.

Guo CH, Liu PJ, Hsia S, Chuang CJ, Chen PC. Role of certain trace minerals in oxidative stress, inflammation, CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratios and lung function in asthmatic patients. Ann Clin Biochem. 2011 Jul;48(Pt 4):344-51. doi: 10.1258/acb.2011.010266. Epub 2011 May 5. PMID: 21546427.

Hoffmann PR, Berry MJ. The influence of selenium on immune responses. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008;52(11):1273-1280. doi:10.1002/mnfr.200700330

Huang Z, Rose AH, Hoffmann PR. The role of selenium in inflammation and immunity: from molecular mechanisms to therapeutic opportunities. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2012;16(7):705-743. doi:10.1089/ars.2011.4145

Ju W, Li X, Li Z, Wu GR, Fu XF, Yang XM, Zhang XQ, Gao XB. The effect of selenium supplementation on coronary heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2017 Dec;44:8-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2017.04.009. Epub 2017 Apr 25. PMID: 28965605.

Muecke R, Schomburg L, Glatzel M, Berndt-Skorka R, Baaske D, Reichl B, Buentzel J, Kundt G, Prott FJ, Devries A, Stoll G, Kisters K, Bruns F, Schaefer U, Willich N, Micke O; German Working Group Trace Elements and Electrolytes in Oncology-AKTE. Multicenter, phase 3 trial comparing selenium supplementation with observation in gynecologic radiation oncology. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2010 Nov 1;78(3):828-35. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2009.08.013. Epub 2010 Feb 3. PMID: 20133068.

Puspitasari IM, Abdulah R, Yamazaki C, Kameo S, Nakano T, Koyama H. Updates on clinical studies of selenium supplementation in radiotherapy. Radiat Oncol. 2014;9:125. Published 2014 May 29. doi:10.1186/1748-717X-9-125

“Selenium” from the Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, reviewed March 2023, viewed on March 28, 2023. 

Ventura M, Melo M, Carrilho F. Selenium and Thyroid Disease: From Pathophysiology to Treatment. Int J Endocrinol. 2017;2017:1297658. doi:10.1155/2017/1297658