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Selenium supplements might slightly improve cholesterol levels in people with low blood levels of the mineral, according to a study in this week's Annals of Internal Medicine. But the effect is too small to make taking the supplement worthwhile for most people in the U.S., who typically get enough selenium from foods.
Researchers studied 501 adults 60 to 74 from the United Kingdom, where average selenium intake is lower than in the U.S. After six months, those who took 100 micrograms of selenium a day, 200 mcg/day, or 300 mcg/day had, on average, a slight drop in LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. People taking the highest dose also had a very slight increase in HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
But the researchers said it was unclear whether those doses would have the same effect in people who start with higher blood levels of the mineral. And while the current study found no serious side effects from selenium pills, a comprehensive review published last week raised concerns about possible harmful effects of selenium supplements, notably that they might increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer.
Bottom line: Get your selenium from food. Good sources include fish, seafood, poultry, wheat and other grains, and some nuts.
Source
Effect of Supplementation With High-Selenium Yeast on Plasma Lipids [Annals of Internal Medicine]
—Doug Podolsky
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