No reason to ban selenium

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(The attacks never cease. F.)

 

http://nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=55003 & n=dh272 & c=wokvpgxagwnympq

 

No reason to ban selenium

 

28/09/2004 - Selenium-enriched yeast is a safe dietary supplement and

there is no reason for the EU to ban it, according to a report by

researcher Dr Margaret Rayman from the University of Surrey in Guildford.

 

In an independent piece of research, Rayman claims that

selenium-enriched yeast (Se-yeast) is " bioavailable " and " safe " and

has many health benefits, including cancer prevention, and says there

is no justification for disallowing the sale of Se-yeast in Europe.

 

" The problem in EU countries is not selenium toxicity but marginal or

deficient selenium status that has worsened in recent years as a

result of a fall in imports of North American wheat following their

accession to the EU, " says Dr Rayman.

 

Research published in 2002 revealed that selenium levels in British

bread-making wheats are 10 to 50 times lower than in their American or

Canadian counterparts, owing to reduced levels of the mineral in UK

soil and lower pollution. Daily intake of the mineral is therefore

often lower than the recommended amount in Britain and other places in

Europe.

 

A lack of selenium has been found to impact the immune system and

recent research has linked the trace element selenium to a reduced

risk of prostate and skin cancer.

 

In her report published today in the British Journal of Nutrition,

Rayman cites research showing that daily selenium intake in Canada is

98-224 mg, 200-350 mg in Venezuela, 106mg in the USA and a measly

29-39mg in the UK.

 

The availability of Se-yeast within the EU has came under threat from

new legislation after concerns were expressed by the EC Scientific

Committee on Food that Se-yeast supplements were poorly characterised

and could potentially cause a build up of selenium in tissues to toxic

levels. Rayman denied there was any evidence for such suppositions.

 

" Of about one dozen supplementation studies none has shown evidence of

toxicity even up to an intake level of 800 micrograms per day selenium

over a period of years, " she said. " Se-yeast from reputable

manufacturers is adequately characterised, of reproducible quality and

there is no evidence of toxicity even at levels far above the EC

tolerable upper intake level of 300 micrograms per day. "

 

Rayman concluded that " adequate dietary intakes of selenium are

therefore essential " for good health.

 

However, the EU food supplements directive (2002/46/EC) that is due to

come into action in August 2005 will almost certainly restrict the

sale of many higher dose nutrients, including essential minerals like

selenium and zinc, and antioxidant vitamins C, B6 and E, which are

currently available in the UK and other more liberal countries like

Ireland and Sweden though still not permitted in many other European

nations.

 

Earlier this year, the UK's supplement industry won the right to

challenge the European Commission in the European court of justice

over the directive, which it claims is unlawful, and hope the case

will be heard before it becomes law.

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