Selenium helps protect men from high blood sugar
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Gaining control over your blood sugar levels is important for both your short-term and long-term health. Discover the role selenium can play in boosting your health.
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- Selenium helps protect men from high blood sugar
Selenium is an essential trace mineral with potential antioxidant properties, helping to protect cells from oxidative stress.
It is also thought to help to improve insulin sensitivity and stabilise blood sugar levels in men.
Management of blood sugar levels is important for the prevention of disease, especially as men age.
The research
There is conflicting research on the role that selenium plays in helping to control blood sugar levels, however, a recent study showed some promising results for older men.
The study was published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, and was conducted over nine years on 1162 adults with an average age of 65.
The researchers found that men with the highest selenium blood levels at the start of the study were about 50 per cent less likely to develop dysglycaemia over the following nine years compared to men with the lowest average levels.
The researchers were unsure why there was no protective effect for women, although they suggested that women may have a better antioxidant status in general, or that there are possible differences in how men and women process selenium.
How to prevent dysglycaemia
Here are some tips on how to prevent dysglycemia, which may be significantly improved through lifestyle modification.
- Eat low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrates – Low GI foods are slower at releasing glucose into the blood stream. They also prevent sharp increases in blood sugar levels. Low GI foods include beans, lentils, whole grains (oats, pasta, brown rice, rye bread) and vegetables.
- Get enough selenium in your diet - The body naturally absorbs selenium from foods such as vegetables, meat and seafood. Meat and seafood contain protein, which also helps to slow down the absorption of glucose from carbohydrate containing foods.
- Avoid processed foods and drinks – Highly manufactured foods and drinks often contain large amounts of added sugars which can play havoc with your blood sugar levels. Drink water, or unsweetened milk and soy drinks instead.
- Be physically active – Gentle exercise such as walking, gardening or dancing helps to burn off blood glucose and stabilise blood sugar levels.
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