Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — heavy metals and children

Heavy metal exposure can affect a child's development, immune function, and long-term health. At-home heavy metals testing using dried blood and urine spots helps parents detect toxic metals like arsenic, mercury, and cadmium, while also assessing essential elements such as iodine, selenium, and zinc — enabling early intervention and tailored nutritional support.

Selenium is an essential trace element with a critical role in immune function, antioxidant defence, and thyroid health. Research links selenium deficiency to increased viral replication, more severe infection outcomes, and a higher likelihood of viral mutation into new strains. Heavy metal exposure from mercury and arsenic can further deplete selenium, compounding the risk. This article explains the science behind selenium’s role in viral protection, the geographical link between selenium-deficient soils and emerging infectious diseases, and how at-home ICP-MS testing can confirm whether your selenium levels are adequate.