Selenium-Rich Diet Cuts Diabetes Risk by 24%

BOSTONIndividuals who have a higher levels of dietary selenium in their bodies have a 24% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those with the lowest levels of the selenium, according to a new study published in the journal Diabetes Care.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) examined the selenium levels found in toenail clippings submitted in the 1980s by more than 7,000 women and men participating in the long-term Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.  For both men and women, the researchers found the risk of developing diabetes was 24% lower among people with the highest levels of selenium in their toenails, compared to those with the lowest levels.

Maintaining adequate dietary levels of selenium also may help prevent age-related conditions such as immune dysfunction, cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to an analysis from the Childrens Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI).