Guest guest Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Good Dirt > Thu, 15 Jul 2004 09:04:18 -0400 > > Good Dirt > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > Thursday July 15, 2004 > > > > Dear Reader, > > You could call it the " vitamin E helper. " > > In the e-Alert " Twilight's Last Gleaming? " > (7/13/04), I told you > how a metallic trace element called selenium boosts > the > antioxidant power of vitamin E. And if that were all > selenium did, > that would be reason enough to make sure you're > getting plenty of > it in your diet. But there's much more to selenium > than just being > one of E's best friends. > > In previous e-Alerts I've told you about studies > that show how > selenium helps reduce the risk of prostate, liver, > colorectal and > esophageal cancers. In addition, selenium has > superior antioxidant > properties that may also help manage insulin levels. > > > Now a new study from the UK confirms research that > reveals > selenium to be an important factor in maintaining a > strong immune > system. > > -- > > Granting immunity > -- > > > The selenium content of grains, fruits and > vegetables depends on > the amount of selenium in the soil they're grown in. > Because the > level of selenium in the soil throughout the UK is > low, researchers > at the University of Liverpool designed a study to > examine the > effect of selenium supplements on the immune system. > > > As reported in the current issue of the American > Journal of Clinical > Nutrition, the Liverpool team recruited 22 subjects > who had low > concentrations of plasma selenium. Over a period of > 15 weeks, > subjects received supplements of 50 micrograms (mcg) > of > selenium, 100 mcg of selenium, or a placebo. > > Six weeks into the trial period, each subject was > given an oral > vaccine containing live attenuated poliomyelitis > virus. By > measuring certain systems that react to viruses > (such as an increase > of T cells and cytokines), researchers determined > that immune > response was significantly boosted in those subjects > who received > selenium supplements, compared to the placebo group. > In addition, > subjects who took selenium cleared the virus from > their bodies > faster than the placebo subjects. > > In the conclusion to their study, the researchers > state that even > though supplements were effective in raising > selenium to helpful > levels – a daily supplement of more than 100 mcg may > be > necessary to provide optimal immune system response. > > > -- > Highs and lows > -- > > As I've mentioned in previous e-Alerts, selenium > comes with a > warning about overdoing intake of this nutrient. And > while it's true > that mega-dosing might create problems, a toxic dose > of selenium > is actually hard to come by. > > The U.S. RDA for selenium is 55 mcg for women and 70 > mcg for > men, but the average diet probably falls far short > of that amount. I > say " probably " because selenium levels in farmland > soil are often > deficient. In the U.S., selenium is highly > concentrated in the soil of > only six states: North and South Dakota, Utah, > Colorado, Montana > and Wyoming. Anyone who lives in these states and > eats ample > amounts of locally grown fruits and vegetables daily > is probably > getting a good selenium intake. But the rest of us > are probably not, > unless we're taking a selenium supplement. > > Research into the cancer-preventive qualities of > selenium indicates > that a daily intake needs to be around 200 mcg to > insure adequate > prevention. This is well over the RDA, of course, > but you would > have to get more than 2,500 mcg of selenium per day > for an > extended period to receive a toxic amount, so the > chances of > getting a dangerous dose are extremely slim. > > Besides fruit and vegetables, bread, fish, and meat > all contain > selenium. The real selenium powerhouse, however, is > the Brazil > nut, delivering more than 800 mcg of selenium per > ounce. > > -- > UK dilemma > -- > > > In the two e-Alerts I sent you earlier this week > about the European > Union Directive on Dietary Supplements, I told you > that many key > nutrients will soon not be available in supplement > doses sufficient > to produce a therapeutic effect. So selenium > presents a perfect > example of how the EU directive could impact the > health of > European Union citizens. > > According to NutraIngredients.com, the selenium > content of UK > soil is so low that the selenium levels in > bread-making wheats are > as much as 10 to 50 times lower than similar wheats > in the U.S. > and Canada. In other words, most UK citizens aren't > getting nearly > enough selenium in their diets. For the time being, > they have the > option to supplement with as much selenium as they > please. But in > August 2005 their government will prohibit access to > large doses > of selenium. > > This so-called " protection " will simply make it more > difficult to > help prevent cancer and improve immune defense. > > ************************************************************** > ...and another thing > > How do you like your fish? > > In the e-Alert " David Beats Goliath Again " > (5/15/03), I told you > about a University of Washington study that > demonstrated how > those who regularly eat tuna and other baked or > broiled fish (3 or > more times per week) may have a significantly lower > risk of > coronary heart disease (CHD) than those who eat the > same fish > infrequently. Those who regularly eat fried fish, > however, could > have a higher risk of both heart attack and death > due to CHD. > > Now a new study from a team of Canadian and > Australian > researchers reveals that fish consumption may also > lower the risk > of certain cancers. > > Using data from a population-based study conducted > in Canada > between 1994 and 1998, dietary information was > examined for > more than 4,202 subjects without cancer, almost 920 > subjects with > leukemia, over 1,400 subjects with non-Hodgkin > lymphoma, and > about 290 subjects with myeloma. > > Weekly intake of fresh fish was studied, from which > the > researchers estimated total energy intake and total > fat intake for > each subject. > > In the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & > Prevention, the > researchers wrote: " People who consumed greater > proportions of > their total energy intake from fresh fish had a > significantly lower > risk of each of the three types of cancer " > > In addition, researchers found that those who ate > the most fish > reduced their risk of leukemia by 45 percent, > compared to subjects > who ate the least amount of fish. > > The study didn't address fish preparation, but > judging by the term > " fresh fish, " I think we can be certain that those > who enjoyed the > most benefits of fish consumption were not eating > fried filet-o-fish > from their local fast food joint. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > > Sources: > " An Increase in Selenium Intake Improves Immune > Function and > Poliovirus Handling in Adults with Marginal Selenium > Status " > American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 80, No. > 1, July 2004, > ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Lack of Selenium May Impact Immune Response " > NutraIngredients.com, 6/23/04, nutraingredients.com > > " Dietary Fish Intake and Risk of Leukaemia, Multiple > Myeloma, > and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma " Cancer Epidemiology > Biomarkers > & Prevention, Vol. 13, April 2004, > cebp.aacrjournals.org > " Fish Eaters at Lower Risk of Lymph, Blood Cancers " > NutraIngredients.com, 7/2/94, nutraingredients.com > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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