It is rare for people in the United States to have a selenium deficiency unless they have a gastrointestinal disorder such as Crohn's disease or can receive nutrients only through an intravenous line. Selenium is a mineral found in soil, and people get selenium by eating plants that grow in soils containing selenium or by eating animals fed on grain from selenium-rich soil. Good sources of selenium are wheat, corn, crab, poultry, fish and liver. There may be a link between selenium deficiency and cancer, heart disease, arthritis and HIV.
Diseases From Selenium Deficiency
Selenium deficiency, which been a problem for people in China where the selenium levels are low, can lead to Keshan disease, a disease that weakens the heart. The average daily selenium intake for an adult is 125 mcg. Chinese men who had a selenium deficiency that led to Keshan disease were getting only 19 mcg per day of selenium, and the women were getting only 13 mcg. Osteoarthropathy, a bone and joint disorder seen in Siberian Russia and China, is a condition resulting from Kashin-Beck disease, associated with selenium deficiency. A third disease associated with selenium deficiency is myxedematous endemic cretinism, which is mental retardation.
Cancer
Getting the proper amount of selenium may lower deaths from prostate, lung and colorectal cancers, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. The reason is that selenium acts as an antioxidant that protects the body and may slow or prevent tumor growth. At the time of publication, studies were ongoing to determine whether selenium has any effect on cancer.
Heart Disease, Arthritis and HIV
Some people take selenium supplements if they have heart disease, but no research shows that this helps prevent heart attacks or helps with heart disease. However, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, selenium may reduce plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, which leads to heart disease. People with arthritis tend to have reduced selenium levels. As an antioxidant, selenium, may relieve arthritis symptoms. Also because of its antioxidant properties, selenium may slow the progression of HIV. Doctors may use selenium as part of an HIV treatment plan because a deficiency could lead to faster progression of HIV/AIDS.
Too Much Selenium
High doses of selenium, more than 400 mcg per day, can be toxic. Symptoms of selenium toxicity are hair loss, fatigue, white and blotchy nails, skin problems, irritability, nausea, diarrhea and garlic breath.
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