A study performed by researchers ceiA3 Luis López Bellido at the University of Córdoba and Francisco Javier López-Bellido Garrido, at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, warns of low selenium intake among Spanish population and suggests the need for public bodies to promote studies to evaluate the extent of deficits and provide possible solutions.
Selenium (Se) has a dual behavior in humans, it is toxic at high doses but essential for health in small quantities, with antioxidant and anticancer functions, among others. Input is through diet and is introduced into the food chain through soil extraction by crops. Ultimately it is the soil that determines the degree of presence in food, but extraction by crops and flora is a ' random ' process because, unlike for humans and animals, is not an essential nutrient for plants .
A multidisciplinary study by researchers Luis Lopez Bellido and Francisco Javier López- Bellido Garrido, from the Departments of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences of the University of Córdoba and Plant Production and Agricultural Technology of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, respectively, integrates all existing work in Spain related to selenium. The study confirms selenium deficiencies in the national population, predisposing to certain diseases, and warns that they could be avoided or at least mitigated with an adequate intake of selenium in the diet.
The article, recently published in the journal Nutrición Hospitalaria (Hospital Nutrition), goes further to suggest the necessary involvement of national government agencies in the promotion of studies designed to assess the true extent of the deficiencies of selenium in the Spanish population and possible solutions.
Professor Francisco Javier López- Bellido explains that studies conducted in the last decade have shown that the average selenium needs per individual are higher than the optimal values established by national and international government agencies; and propose that authorities should not only considered the direct effects of deficiency, but also adequate levels to achieve optimal health through maximizing or optimizing Se- proteins.
Nationally, according to Lopez-Bellido, the intake of selenium in the Spanish population should be doubled in order to achieve near 100 micrograms average values daily. Although certain types of meat and fish show higher concentrations of selenium among food group, wheat and wheat products (flour, bread , pasta, etc. . ) are one of the primary source due to their high daily consumption and importance in the diet. However, the levels of selenium in wheat and other crops vary greatly depending on the region in which they are produced and, on selenium concentrations in the soil, which will ultimately influence selenium intake in the population.
Finally, the study clarifies that data on the daily intake of selenium by analyzing the different food in Spain diet are scarce, however it seems likely that selenium is present a low levels in national wheat due to cultivation on selenium-deficient soils. Selenium fertilization of crops (biofortification) might be a feasible option to increase selenium levels of the entire national population, as is being done in other countries, or functional foods could be produced for certain risk groups such as vegetarians, children and elderly people.
Selenium (Se) has a dual effect in humans, it is toxic at high doses but essential for health in small quantities, with antioxidant and anticancer functions, among others. Input is through diet and is introduced into the food chain through soil extraction by crops. Ultimately, it is the soil that determines the degree of presence in food, but extraction by crops and flora is a ' random ' process because, unlike for humans and animals, is not an essential nutrient for plants.
A multidisciplinary study by researchers Luis Lopez Bellido and Francisco Javier López- Bellido Garrido, from the Departments of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences of the University of Córdoba and Plant Production and Agricultural Technology of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, respectively, integrates all existing work in Spain related to selenium. The study confirms selenium deficiencies in the national population, predisposing to certain diseases, and proposes that such deficiencies could be avoided or at least mitigated with an adequate intake of selenium in the diet.
The article, recently published in the journal Nutrición Hospitalaria (Hospital Nutrition), further suggests the necessary involvement of national government agencies in promotion of studies to assess the true extent of selenium deficiencies in the Spanish population and look for possible solutions.
Professor Francisco Javier López- Bellido explains that studies conducted in the last decade have shown that the average selenium needs per individual are higher than the optimal values established by national and international government agencies; and propose that authorities should not only consider the direct effects of selenium deficiency but also adequate levels to achieve optimal health through maximizing or optimizing Se-proteins.
Nationally, according to Lopez-Bellido, intake of selenium in the Spanish population should be doubled in order to achieve nearly 100 micrograms average values daily. Although certain types of meat and fish show higher concentrations of selenium among food groups, wheat and wheat products (flour, bread, pasta, etc.) are one of the primary sources due to their high daily consumption and importance in the diet. However, selenium levels in wheat and other crops vary greatly depending on the region in which they are produced and on selenium concentrations present in the soil, which will ultimately influence selenium intake in the population.
Finally, the study suggests that data on daily selenium intake coming from food analysis of Spain diet is scarce, however it seems likely that selenium is present at low levels in national wheat due to cultivation on selenium-deficient soils. Selenium fertilization of crops (biofortification) might be a feasible option to increase selenium levels of the entire national population, as is being done in other countries, or functional foods could be produced for certain risk groups such as vegetarians, children and elderly people.
