Guest guest Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 wrote: > My recollection is that too much selenium intake has visible symptoms > like > discolored finger nails and toenails. There is also some similarities to radiation poisoning, at least it was in the House episode I saw. I think that eating a Brazil nut every day would pose no risk and provide plenty of the mineral. (Although the guy in the House episode eat a huge amount on a trip to Brazil) Positive Dennis > > JR > On Feb 28, 2008, at 9:35 AM, Diane Walter wrote: > >> Walford discusses selenium in BYT20YD. This article discusses how >> there is a fine line between too much and too little. Does any >> test measure blood levels of selenium? None of mine mention it. >> >> Diane >> >> http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_61552.html >> <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_61552.html> >> >> Moderate Selenium Levels Tied to Longer Life >> >> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When it comes to the effects of selenium >> on health and longevity, you may be able to get too much of a good >> thing. While moderate levels of the mineral are associated with >> longevity, once selenium levels climb past a certain mark, the odds of >> dying from any cause, or from cancer specifically, begin to tip >> upward, a new study suggests. >> >> The study, of nearly 14,000 U.S. adults, found that higher blood >> levels of selenium were linked to a lower risk of death over 12 years, >> at which point the risk appears to increase. >> >> The findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, support >> earlier studies linking selenium to lower risks of prostate, lung and >> colon cancers. But the study also " raises the concern that high-normal >> levels of selenium may be associated with an increased risk of >> mortality, " write the researchers, led by Dr. Joachim Bleys of s >> Hopkins University School of Public Health in Baltimore. >> >> Selenium is a mineral that people require in small amounts; food >> sources include grains, certain nuts and some meats and seafood, such >> as beef and tuna. >> >> The body incorporates selenium into proteins called selenoproteins, >> which act as antioxidant enzymes; antioxidants, in turn, help >> neutralize cell-damaging substances called free radicals. Some studies >> have linked higher selenium levels to lower risks of certain cancers >> and heart disease. >> >> However, much of the research has been done in countries where >> people's selenium levels are often fairly low. >> >> Most Americans, by contrast, get more than the recommended amount of >> selenium. While the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is only 55 >> micrograms per day, the typical intake in the U.S. ranges from 60 to >> 220 micrograms daily. >> >> For their study, Bleys and his colleagues used data for 13,887 U.S. >> adults who took part in a government health and nutrition study. They >> found that as the participants' blood levels of selenium increased, >> their odds of dying during the 12-year study period declined -- but >> only up to a point. >> >> Once blood levels of selenium surpassed 130 ng/mL, the benefits >> stopped accruing; and once they passed 150 ng/mL, the odds of dying >> from any cause, or from cancer in particular, began to creep back up. >> >> The findings caution against consuming too much selenium, according to >> the researchers. >> >> " Most people in the U.S. obtain adequate selenium from their diet, " >> Bleys told Reuters Health, noting that outright selenium deficiency is >> rare. >> >> Given this, and the potential for adverse effects from high selenium >> levels, Bleys said there is " no rationale " for recommending selenium >> supplements to the general public. >> >> It is not clear why high-normal selenium levels were tied to an >> increased death risk. But in theory, Bleys explained, excess selenium >> that is not incorporated into selenoproteins may actually generate >> free radicals rather than fight them. >> >> SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, February 25, 2008. >> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.