Abstract
Use of selenium enriched foods, supplements and fertilizers has increased markedly
in recent years in the US and other Western countries because of the perception that
the anti-oxidant properties of selenium could potentially reduce the risk of cancer
and other chronic diseases. However, concern has been raised recently about possible
adverse cardiometabolic effects of high selenium exposure, including an increased
risk of diabetes and hyperlipidemia with high selenium intake. Hence, from a public
health perspective, the relationship between selenium status and cardiometabolic health
should be clarified in order to help guide consumers in their choices of nutritional
supplements and enriched food products. Additional experimental evidence is needed
to provide new insights into the role of selenium and of specific selenoproteins in
human biology, especially to clarify the underlying mechanisms linking selenium to
chronic disease endpoints. Further epidemiological studies and randomized clinical
trials across populations with different selenium status should be conducted to determine
the causal effect of selenium on cardiovascular disease and risk factors. Nevertheless,
at the present time the widespread use of selenium supplements or other strategies
that artificially increase selenium status above the level required for optimal selenoprotein
activity is not justified and should not be encouraged.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 22, 2010
Accepted:
October 7,
2010
Received:
July 29,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
