Tag: Health

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Selenium: An Essential Trace Element

We humans need an adequate dietary supply of selenium. Like iron and iodine, our bodies need this essential trace element in sufficient amounts from food for normal physiological functioning.

Prof Jan Alexander, selenium expert
Guest author Prof. Jan Alexander, MD PhD, specialist in occupational medicine, professor and former specialist director at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.

The content of selenium in food varies according to the selenium content of the soil in any particular region [Stoffaneller & Morse 2015]. Unfortunately, in most areas of the Nordic and Baltic countries, the soil is poor in selenium. Accordingly, the local crops and fruits tend to have low selenium content. An exception is Finland, which enriches soil fertilizers with selenium. Import of wheat from regions with high contents of selenium in the soil has earlier been an important source of selenium in Norway [Alexander & Olsen 2023].
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Selenium Intakes and Health Outcomes

Selenium and good health. How much do we need? How do we get it? Generally speaking, our family and friends do not know just how important selenium is to good health. Our bodies cannot synthesize selenium. We are dependent upon food for an adequate daily intake of this essential trace element.

Salmon rich in selenium
Depending upon where we live, the selenium content of our food may be too low. Wang et al [2023] estimate that approximately one billion people worldwide lack sufficient selenium in their diet.
In many regions of the world, the soil and the foodstuffs have a poor selenium content. Accordingly, the daily intake of selenium varies considerably. Many people have an inadequate supply and thus risk poor health outcomes as a result. For example, in much of Europe, the UK, and the Middle East, there are widespread reports of suboptimal selenium status. Supplementation is necessary in selenium-poor regions [Stoffaneller & Morse 2015]. read more

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Selenoprotein P – Selenium Transport Protein and Biomarker of Selenium Status

Selenium and selenoproteins are essential to human health [Rayman 2012]. However, selenium intakes from food vary considerably from region to region in the world, depending on how rich or poor the soil and the foodstuffs are.

Selenium researcher Professor Urban Alehagen
Professor Urban Alehagen realized that the low selenium content of the soil in Sweden and in much of Europe results in wide-spread low dietary selenium intake and selenium deficiency. In the Swedish KiSel-10 Study, the average serum selenium concentration was a quite low 67 mcg/L.

For example, widespread suboptimal selenium status has been reported throughout Europe, the UK, and the Middle East [Stoffaneller & Morse 2015]. In contrast, the soil and the foodstuffs in much of the United States and Canada have a much higher selenium content than is the case in Europe. Serum selenium levels of US citizens are generally above 120 mcg/L. In many European countries, the corresponding serum selenium levels are 90 mcg/L on average [Alehagen 2016].

  • The best estimate for serum selenium status that is sufficient for good health is around 125 mcg/L [Winther 2020, fig. 3].
  • Serum selenium levels below 70 mcg/L are indicative of selenium deficiency [Bomer 2020].
  • Serum selenium levels below 100 mcg/L are indicative of sub-optimal selenium status [Al-Mubarak 2021].
Selenoprotein P as the Major Selenium Transport Protein

Dietary selenium is incorporated into the amino acid selenocysteine, which becomes an integral component of 25 selenoproteins. The best known selenoproteins are the glutathione peroxidases, thioredoxin reductases, and
iodothyronine deiodinases [Schomburg 2019]. read more