Selenium

Role in the Body and Consequences of Deficiency
The most important antioxidant mineral is selenium. Selenium is essential for the function of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase, and it is also important for healthy immune and cardiovascular systems. Selenium’s anti-inflammatory properties have been demonstrated by its ability to inhibit skin-damaging, UV-induced inflammatory cytokines [61]. Results from a Nutritional Prevention of Cancer trial conducted among individuals at high risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer demonstrated that selenium supplementation is ineffective at preventing skin cancer and basal cell carcinoma and that it probably increases the risk of squamous cell carcinoma and total nonmelanoma skin cancer.