Selenium Deficiency May Increase Risk of Chronic Disease

Ensuring adequate intakes of selenium may reduce the risk of age-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease.  By analyzing data from hundreds of published articles, Joyce McCann and Bruce Ames, from Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI; California, USA) analyzed the activity and concentrations of 12 selenoproteins, five of which were classified as essential and seven as non-essential, and found that the activity and levels of non-essential selenoproteins were preferentially lost when the organism was moderately selenium deficient.  The non-essential selenoprotein Dio2 has previously been linked to a wide range of diseases or conditions, including osteoarthritis, while Gpx1 may protect against DNA damage, and ultimately cancer risk, Gpx2 may exert ant-inflammatory effects, and Gpx3 has been implicated in improved cardiovascular health.