Selenium Deficiency Is Associated With Age-Related Diseases And Conditions

Sufficient intake of the essential mineral selenium, found in edible plants in the U.S. but more rare elsewhere in the world, might  help ward off age-related conditions such as immune dysfunction, cardiovascular disease and cancer, an analysis of the mineral has found. The analysis was designed to test the “triage” theory of Dr. Bruce Ames, which provides a basis for determining the optimum intake of individual vitamins and minerals by measuring long-term insidious damage associated with aging. The theory explains why diseases associated with aging may be unintended results of mechanisms developed during evolution to protect the metabolism from swings in vitamin and mineral availability. The analysis  found that age-related diseases and conditions are associated with modest selenium deficiency, which could be a “causal factor,” researchers said.