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.
