Re: a Brazil nut a day keeps the prostate happy

[Guest guest]

While I am a strong advocate of getting nutrition from natural foods, I

recall seeing some reports of variability in mineral content among Brazil

nut samples from different regions.

As an older male animal, I value my selenium and try to get it from multiple

food sources, even supplement (did I say that?) occasionally.

Be careful about foods very dense in single nutrients a) consuming small

amounts may not deliver the amount expected and inadvertently consuming

larger amounts may lead to an imbalance. I recall a recent discussion about

some seaweed that caused problems from high levels of iodine in

unsuspecting " healthy " eaters.

Another perhaps urban myth is about high levels of mercury from larger

predatory fish (swordfish and such). My recollection is that some symptoms

of selenium overdose is discolored fingernails and nerve damage.

Enough is good, more is not always better....

JR

-----Original Message-----

From: rosasproject [mailto:scott@...]

Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2004 11:05 PM

Subject: [ ] a Brazil nut a day keeps the prostate happy

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/475060

Selenium Levels Inversely Linked to Risk of Advanced Prostate Cancer

By J. Brown, MD

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) May 04 - High plasma levels of selenium

are associated with a decreased risk of advanced prostate cancer,

according to a report published in the May 5th issue of the Journal

of the National Cancer Institute. This suggests that high levels of

selenium may slow disease progression.

The current study is one of several prospective epidemiologic

studies to look at the link between selenium levels and prostate

cancer. " Our study is the largest in terms of the sample size and

the follow-up period, " lead author Dr. Haojie Li, from Harvard

Medical School in Boston, told Reuters Health. " Also, we included

patients diagnosed in both the pre- and post-PSA periods. "

The researchers analyzed data from men enrolled in the Physicians'

Health Study. Baseline selenium levels obtained in 1982 from 586 men

diagnosed with prostate cancer during 13 years of follow-up were

compared with levels from 577 control subjects.

Men in the highest selenium level quintile were 48% less likely to

develop advanced prostate cancer than men in lowest quintile (p =

0.05). Moreover, this inverse relationship was observed for men

diagnosed before (pre-PSA era) or after (post-PSA era) October 1990.

" There was a significant inverse association between selenium levels

and overall prostate cancer risk, " Dr. Li said. " However, on further

analysis, only the association with advanced cancer, not localized

disease, was significant. "

" A randomized trial, known as the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer

Prevention Trial (SELECT), is underway " that should definitively

answer whether selenium use is beneficial in preventing prostate

cancer, Dr. Li noted.

J Natl Cancer Inst 2004;96:696-703.

Reuters Health Information 2004. © 2004 Reuters Ltd.

Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by

framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior

written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any

errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in

reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered

trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around

the world.

[Guest guest]

I would agree there is certainly variability in the dosage of

selenium per nut - maybe two a day would be better? I don't fear

toxicity. What's your other " natural " source? (And I am not against

supplementing.)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is an older ('97) article but I have not seen anything that

contradicts it.

article suggesting that overdosing on selenium is remote.

The link:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/1997/August97/seltest.htm

The article:

Scientists downplay selenium toxicity, explore deficiencies

8-12-97

By Joe Marks, 541-737-3380

SOURCES: Philip Whanger,541-737-1803

Judy , 541-737-1803

CORVALLIS - Oregon State University scientists who just developed a

better method for assessing selenium metabolism say concerns about

the trace mineral's toxicity are usually unwarranted.

" You'd have to consume more than 60 of the usual-strength (50

micrograms each) pharmaceutical selenium tablets a day for years

before you'd even get sick, " said Philip Whanger, an OSU professor

of agricultural chemistry.

Still, the improved toxicity test Whanger and colleagues developed

is important because there are incidences where humans and animals

get overdosed. In the 1980s, for example, a now-defunct

pharmaceutical company produced tablets that contained 1,000 times

more selenium than advertised. There have also been cases where

injections into farm animals exceeded recommended doses tenfold.

Research is also being done on the reverse side of the problem -

selenium deficiency.

Whanger's selenium toxicity assay method uses albumin, a blood

protein, as a marker. A. ratio of selenium to albumin exceeding nine

nanograms per milligram in the blood plasma is toxic.

The assay's accuracy and precision makes finding a needle in a

haystack seem like child's play. There are a 28 billion nanograms,

or 28 thousand milligrams, in an ounce. In humans, there are less

than three drops of selenium in an individual's 10 liters of

blood. " It's like measuring a shot-glass of vermouth in a railroad

tank car of gin, " Whanger joked.

While there are a few places in China in which high-selenium soil

produces crops toxic to the humans and animals that eat them, most

of the world has normal selenium levels.

A more significant problem, the researchers say, is selenium

deficiency.

Soil in parts of the Pacific Northwest, the upper Midwest and the

northeastern United States, New Zealand and China are known to be

deficient in selenium. Prior to the 1970s, selenium deficiencies

caused thousands of deaths in China, particularly to children and

young adults. Selenium-related deaths seldom occurred after

scientists there identified the problem and started putting selenium

in table salt.

Whanger said some soils in the Pacific Northwest are among the

lowest in selenium of any areas in the United States. In some years

early in the century, a disorder called " white muscle disease, " which

is caused by selenium deficiency, killed as many as half of the

lambs and calves born to ewes and cows raised on crops grown in

Oregon.

OSU researchers started working with farmers and ranchers on the

cause and treatment of white muscle disease in the 1920s. By 1960,

white muscle disease was eliminated and researchers estimated that

the Oregon livestock industry saved $10 million a year by giving

selenium supplements to their animals.

There is strong evidence that selenium supplements are good for

humans as well, according to Whanger. A recent study by Cornell

University scientists showed several selenium compounds reduce the

incidence of prostrate, colorectal and lung cancer. Whanger said he

takes a 100-microgram selenium tablet each day, and his colleague,

Judy , senior research chemist on the OSU selenium project,

took selenium tablets when she was pregnant.

" Selenium is only needed in very small amounts, but it is essential

for animal life, " she said.

's studies of pregnant women in Oregon and New Zealand showed

selenium levels decline during pregnancy until birth, when they rise

again to normal levels. Selenium supplements maintained normal

levels throughout pregnancy until just prior to delivery.

She and Whanger said similar patterns were found in Chinese women

suffering from selenium deficiency. Their children suffer from

Keshan disease, a cardiomyopathy heart ailment.

" The problem is greatest after the children have been weaned, "

said. " Until then the mother's milk, which contains a

beneficial enzyme, offers some protection to the child. But the

mother's selenium level goes dangerously low. In effect, the mother

sacrifices her own body reserves to put the enzyme in the milk for

her child. "

The enzyme is glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). It converts peroxides

to other compounds that are not harmful. Peroxides are breakdown

products of fatty acids that damage cell membranes, causing rapid

aging and damage to the skin. Selenium supplements reduce these

problems, Whanger said.

Last Update:Tuesday, 12-Aug-1997 17:23:20 PDT

saundere@...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Excesses of selenium are secreted in the urine, and the selenium-

containing molecule dimethyl selenide is excreted during

respiration. This molecule gives breath a garlic odor characteristic

of selenium toxicity.

From:

http://www.springboard4health.com/notebook/min_selenium.html

________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi JR:

And of course the supplements don't contain any calories : ^ )))

Rodney.

--- In , " john roberts " <johnhrob@n...>

wrote:

> While I am a strong advocate of getting nutrition from natural

foods, I

> recall seeing some reports of variability in mineral content among

Brazil

> nut samples from different regions.

>

> As an older male animal, I value my selenium and try to get it from

multiple

> food sources, even supplement (did I say that?) occasionally.

>

> Be careful about foods very dense in single nutrients a) consuming

small

> amounts may not deliver the amount expected and inadvertently

consuming

> larger amounts may lead to an imbalance. I recall a recent

discussion about

> some seaweed that caused problems from high levels of iodine in

> unsuspecting " healthy " eaters.

>

> Another perhaps urban myth is about high levels of mercury from

larger

> predatory fish (swordfish and such). My recollection is that some

symptoms

> of selenium overdose is discolored fingernails and nerve damage.

>

> Enough is good, more is not always better....

>

> JR

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: rosasproject [mailto:scott@e...]

> Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2004 11:05 PM

>

> Subject: [ ] a Brazil nut a day keeps the prostate

happy

>

>

> http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/475060

>

> Selenium Levels Inversely Linked to Risk of Advanced Prostate Cancer

>

> By J. Brown, MD

>

> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) May 04 - High plasma levels of selenium

> are associated with a decreased risk of advanced prostate cancer,

> according to a report published in the May 5th issue of the Journal

> of the National Cancer Institute. This suggests that high levels of

> selenium may slow disease progression.

>

> The current study is one of several prospective epidemiologic

> studies to look at the link between selenium levels and prostate

> cancer. " Our study is the largest in terms of the sample size and

> the follow-up period, " lead author Dr. Haojie Li, from Harvard

> Medical School in Boston, told Reuters Health. " Also, we included

> patients diagnosed in both the pre- and post-PSA periods. "

>

> The researchers analyzed data from men enrolled in the Physicians'

> Health Study. Baseline selenium levels obtained in 1982 from 586 men

> diagnosed with prostate cancer during 13 years of follow-up were

> compared with levels from 577 control subjects.

>

> Men in the highest selenium level quintile were 48% less likely to

> develop advanced prostate cancer than men in lowest quintile (p =

> 0.05). Moreover, this inverse relationship was observed for men

> diagnosed before (pre-PSA era) or after (post-PSA era) October 1990.

>

> " There was a significant inverse association between selenium levels

> and overall prostate cancer risk, " Dr. Li said. " However, on further

> analysis, only the association with advanced cancer, not localized

> disease, was significant. "

>

> " A randomized trial, known as the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer

> Prevention Trial (SELECT), is underway " that should definitively

> answer whether selenium use is beneficial in preventing prostate

> cancer, Dr. Li noted.

>

> J Natl Cancer Inst 2004;96:696-703.

>

> Reuters Health Information 2004. © 2004 Reuters Ltd.

> Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by

> framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior

> written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any

> errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in

> reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered

> trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around

> the world.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I can't argue with the math in the article, yes it would take 60x 50 mcG

tablets to get 3000 mcg but according to DWIDP (Diet planner) that's only

100gm of Brazil nuts! I can easily knock off 100 grams of walnuts in a (bad)

day.

I doubt there are many (any?) overdoses from selenium supplements these days

since they stopped putting 1000x in pills. More is not always better.

I personally get adequate selenium from small amounts of beef in my diet,

and many other foods have modest amounts, which all add up. I suspect this

will also vary with where the food was grown or fed, but I'm currently at

almost 170% on beef eating days so I'm comfortable.

JR

-----Original Message-----

From: rosasproject [mailto:scott@...]

Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 12:38 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: a Brazil nut a day keeps the prostate

happy

I would agree there is certainly variability in the dosage of

selenium per nut - maybe two a day would be better? I don't fear

toxicity. What's your other " natural " source? (And I am not against

supplementing.)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is an older ('97) article but I have not seen anything that

contradicts it.

article suggesting that overdosing on selenium is remote.

The link:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/1997/August97/seltest.htm

The article:

Scientists downplay selenium toxicity, explore deficiencies

8-12-97

By Joe Marks, 541-737-3380

SOURCES: Philip Whanger,541-737-1803

Judy , 541-737-1803

CORVALLIS - Oregon State University scientists who just developed a

better method for assessing selenium metabolism say concerns about

the trace mineral's toxicity are usually unwarranted.

" You'd have to consume more than 60 of the usual-strength (50

micrograms each) pharmaceutical selenium tablets a day for years

before you'd even get sick, " said Philip Whanger, an OSU professor

of agricultural chemistry.

Still, the improved toxicity test Whanger and colleagues developed

is important because there are incidences where humans and animals

get overdosed. In the 1980s, for example, a now-defunct

pharmaceutical company produced tablets that contained 1,000 times

more selenium than advertised. There have also been cases where

injections into farm animals exceeded recommended doses tenfold.

Research is also being done on the reverse side of the problem -

selenium deficiency.

Whanger's selenium toxicity assay method uses albumin, a blood

protein, as a marker. A. ratio of selenium to albumin exceeding nine

nanograms per milligram in the blood plasma is toxic.

The assay's accuracy and precision makes finding a needle in a

haystack seem like child's play. There are a 28 billion nanograms,

or 28 thousand milligrams, in an ounce. In humans, there are less

than three drops of selenium in an individual's 10 liters of

blood. " It's like measuring a shot-glass of vermouth in a railroad

tank car of gin, " Whanger joked.

While there are a few places in China in which high-selenium soil

produces crops toxic to the humans and animals that eat them, most

of the world has normal selenium levels.

A more significant problem, the researchers say, is selenium

deficiency.

Soil in parts of the Pacific Northwest, the upper Midwest and the

northeastern United States, New Zealand and China are known to be

deficient in selenium. Prior to the 1970s, selenium deficiencies

caused thousands of deaths in China, particularly to children and

young adults. Selenium-related deaths seldom occurred after

scientists there identified the problem and started putting selenium

in table salt.

Whanger said some soils in the Pacific Northwest are among the

lowest in selenium of any areas in the United States. In some years

early in the century, a disorder called " white muscle disease, " which

is caused by selenium deficiency, killed as many as half of the

lambs and calves born to ewes and cows raised on crops grown in

Oregon.

OSU researchers started working with farmers and ranchers on the

cause and treatment of white muscle disease in the 1920s. By 1960,

white muscle disease was eliminated and researchers estimated that

the Oregon livestock industry saved $10 million a year by giving

selenium supplements to their animals.

There is strong evidence that selenium supplements are good for

humans as well, according to Whanger. A recent study by Cornell

University scientists showed several selenium compounds reduce the

incidence of prostrate, colorectal and lung cancer. Whanger said he

takes a 100-microgram selenium tablet each day, and his colleague,

Judy , senior research chemist on the OSU selenium project,

took selenium tablets when she was pregnant.

" Selenium is only needed in very small amounts, but it is essential

for animal life, " she said.

's studies of pregnant women in Oregon and New Zealand showed

selenium levels decline during pregnancy until birth, when they rise

again to normal levels. Selenium supplements maintained normal

levels throughout pregnancy until just prior to delivery.

She and Whanger said similar patterns were found in Chinese women

suffering from selenium deficiency. Their children suffer from

Keshan disease, a cardiomyopathy heart ailment.

" The problem is greatest after the children have been weaned, "

said. " Until then the mother's milk, which contains a

beneficial enzyme, offers some protection to the child. But the

mother's selenium level goes dangerously low. In effect, the mother

sacrifices her own body reserves to put the enzyme in the milk for

her child. "

The enzyme is glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). It converts peroxides

to other compounds that are not harmful. Peroxides are breakdown

products of fatty acids that damage cell membranes, causing rapid

aging and damage to the skin. Selenium supplements reduce these

problems, Whanger said.

Last Update:Tuesday, 12-Aug-1997 17:23:20 PDT

saundere@...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Excesses of selenium are secreted in the urine, and the selenium-

containing molecule dimethyl selenide is excreted during

respiration. This molecule gives breath a garlic odor characteristic

of selenium toxicity.

From:

http://www.springboard4health.com/notebook/min_selenium.html

________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Notice it says advanced PCa not the prevention of PCa. TBD.

How many non PCa patients get their Se checked?

Regards.

----- Original Message -----

From: rosasproject

Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2004 11:04 PM

Subject: [ ] a Brazil nut a day keeps the prostate happy

Men in the highest selenium level quintile were 48% less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer than men in lowest quintile (p = 0.05). Moreover, this inverse relationship was observed for men diagnosed before (pre-PSA era) or after (post-PSA era) October 1990."There was a significant inverse association between selenium levels and overall prostate cancer risk," Dr. Li said. "However, on further analysis, only the association with advanced cancer, not localized disease, was significant.""A randomized trial, known as the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT), is underway" that should definitively answer whether selenium use is beneficial in preventing prostate cancer, Dr. Li noted.J Natl Cancer Inst 2004;96:696-703.