Food Standards Agency research on selenium

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 07 Jul 2004 - 6:00 PDT

Current ratings for:
'Food Standards Agency research on selenium'

Patient / Public:not yet rated

Healthcare Prof:2 stars

2 (1 votes)


Findings from an Agency-funded study suggest that selenium, a trace element found in food, helps our immune system defend the body against viruses.

Food Standards Agency (UK) advice on selenium remains the same: you can get all you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Foods that are good sources of selenium include brazil nuts, fish, meat and eggs.

If you decide to take selenium supplements it is important not to take too much (no more than 0.35 milligrams a day) because this causes selenosis, a condition that in its mildest form can lead to loss of hair, skin and nails.

Over the past 15-20 years, people in the UK have been eating decreasing amounts of selenium. Current selenium levels in the UK population are still high enough to avoid deficiency diseases, but the FSA is commissioning further research to find out whether the decline in dietary selenium could be affecting overall health. In the meantime, the Agency continues to monitor evidence and take advice from expert committees.

N05012 Results
More information on the selenium research

Selenium

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
Visit our public health section for the latest news on this subject.
There are no references listed for this article.
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA
n.p. "Food Standards Agency research on selenium." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 7 Jul. 2004. Web.
21 May. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/10393.php>

APA
n.p. (2004, July 7). "Food Standards Agency research on selenium." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/10393.php.

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.



Add Your Opinion On This Article

'Food Standards Agency research on selenium'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Your Name:*
E-mail Address:*
Your Opinion Title:*
Opinion:*
This is to help prevent SPAM submissions. Please enter the words exactly as they appear, including capital letters and punctuation.*

* Fields marked with a * need to be filled in before you hit the submit button.

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.


Public Health

Tips For Healthy Flying

There was a time when jumping on a plane was a relatively easy thing to do (assuming you had the money). But today's flying experience is often more of an ordeal than a pleasure. Read more...

Do You Know What Drowning Looks Like?

If you and your family are planning to spend some of the summer by the sea, by the pool, or perhaps even a river or lake, perhaps you should ask yourself: do you really know what drowning looks like? Read more...

Most Popular Articles





Follow Our Public Health News On Twitter

Follow Us On Twitter
Get the latest news for this category delivered straight to your Twitter account. Simply visit our Public Health Twitter account and select the 'follow' option.



View list of all 'What Is...' articles »