Why Women May Need More Selenium
SELENIUM SUPPLEMENTS MAY DECREASE RISK OF BLADDER CANCER
A study has found that a higher intake of selenium may lower the risk of bladder cancer. Researchers analyzed several previous studies and examined selenium content in toenails and blood and compared these measurements with the incidence of bladder cancer.
Although there was a general protective effect for selenium levels, women benefited most in terms of bladder cancer risk.
Selenium is found in plant foods grown in selenium-rich soils, in the meat of animals that grazed on selenium-rich soils, and in selenium supplements. It is an essential micronutrient that is incorporated into about 25 proteins, called selenoproteins, which prevent cellular damage caused by the by-products of oxygen metabolism.
Further study is required to confirm these results and to determine the optimum dose of selenium to provide a protective effect against bladder cancer. This study was published in the September 2010 issue of the journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The full-text version is now available online at http://bit.ly/cImcWJ.
Selenium Supplements Reduce Bladder Cancer Risk
A study has found that depending on individual characteristics, increasing selenium intake can lower the risk of bladder cancer by as much as 39 percent. Selenium is an essential micronutrient that is incorporated into about 25 proteins, called selenoproteins, most of which are enzymes with antioxidant properties that prevent cellular damage caused by the by-products of oxygen metabolism.
Seven previous studies were analyzed to evaluate selenium levels – measured in toenails and blood – and the corresponding incidence of bladder cancer. Most of the subjects were from the United States but some were from Belgium, the Netherlands and Finland. Gender-specific differences seemed to account for the greater cancer-protective effect of selenium in women.
Further studies are required to determine the all-important optimum dosage of selenium. This study was released at 1pm ET on August 31, 2010 but won’t be published until a future issue of the journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
