Abstract: An authoratitive reference text for nutritionists, clinicians, and other health professionals provides an extensive review of the most pertinent scientific literature dealing the basic aspects of the present understanding of the roles of selenium (Se) in nutrition and health. Following a brief discussion of the chemistry and analysis of Se, attention is focused on: the occurrence of Se in the environment and in foods and feeds; the bioavailability of Se in foods and feeds; Se uptake, metabolism, a nd excretion; the biological functions of Se; Se deficiency diseases in laboratory animals and livestock; the role of Se in human nutrition and health; its role in immunity and infection; associations between Se and cancer; and the effects of Se toxicity in animals and humans. Numerous detailed data tables and illustrations are presented throughout the text, and literature citations are appended to each chapter.

The Role of Selenium in Nutrition reviews the most pertinent scientific literature dealing with the basic aspects of the present understanding of the roles of selenium (Se) in nutrition and health. The book begins with a general discussion of Se, covering its various forms, chemistry and physical properties, and techniques for Se analysis. This is followed by separate chapters on the environmental aspects of Se, including its presence in mineral deposits, soils, water, air, and uptake by plants; Se contents of human foods and animal feedstuffs; biological utilization of dietary Se; and absorption, excretion, metabolism, and tissue concentrations of Se. Subsequent chapters deal with the biochemical functions of Se; Se-related diseases of animals and livestock; the role of Se in human health and in support of normal immune function and disease resistance; and the relationship of Se and cancer. The final chapter reviews the evidence concerning the toxicity of Se compounds and sets this in perspective with current knowledge of the roles of Se in nutrition and health, and of the normal exposures of animals and humans to Se compounds.

This volume is the newest release in the authoritative series of quantitative estimates of nutrient intakes to be used for planning and assessing diets for healthy people. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) is the newest framework for an expanded approach developed by U.S. and Canadian scientists. This book discusses in detail the role of vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and the carotenoids in human physiology and health. For each nutrient the committee presents what is known about how it functions in the human body, which factors may affect how it works, and how the nutrient may be related to chronic disease. Dietary Reference Intakes provides reference intakes, such as Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), for use in planning nutritionally adequate diets for different groups based on age and gender, along with a new reference intake, the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), designed to assist an individual in knowing how much is "too much" of a nutrient.

This book provides information about selenium as an important part of integrated antioxidant systems in animal and human bodies responsible for maintaining health. It contains practical advice in relation to effective usage of selenium supplements, including optimal forms and doses. It also combines fundamental information on selenium biochemistry and metabolism. It also presents the most recent findings, unresolved puzzles and future directions for selenium research. In recent years, natural antioxidants have received tremendous attention in relation to human health and food quality. However, the scientific background of many health-promoting claims for natural antioxidants is not always understandable for the general public and needs further clarification. Furthermore, agricultural applications of antioxidants await further investigation.

The third volume of Advances in Nutritional Research continues the precedent set in previous volumes of providing authoritative reviews on the current state of knowledge with respect to major topics of ongoing nutritional research. This series is designed to be of value to investigators engaged in fundamental research as well as to those involved in its application to problems in human and animal nutrition. This volume contains three chapters on recent developments in research on inorganic elements, including a review, by F. H. Nielsen, of the evidence for a requirement for additional trace elements; a conspectus, by C. E. Casey and K. M. Hambidge, on the occurrence of trace element deficiencies in man; and a description, by M. Janghorbani and V. R. Young, of new methods of assessing the bioavailability of minerals in the diet. There are also three chapters on current topics of lipid research. One (by F. D. Sauer) is devoted to the cardiopathic effects of certain dietary monoenoic fatty acids, another (by C. Galli) to the influence of diet on prostaglandin synthesis, and the third (by H. 0. Bang and J. Dyerberg) to an analysis of the role of the unusual polyunsaturated fatty acids found in marine oils in the prevention of ischemic heart disease.

This book provides readers with a clear and reliable account of the extraordinary story of selenium and its role in human health. It is written in a readable and user-friendly manner, and takes into account the considerable amount of fresh information that has been published over the past decade. The book if for the reader who wants to make an informed judgment about the competing claims for and against Selenium’s value as a nutritional supplement.

This book describes the role of trace elements in health and longevity, pursuing a biogerontological approach. It offers essential information on the impact of trace elements on molecular and physiological processes of aging, and on their impact on health in connection with aging. The major topics covered in its 11 chapters, each dedicated to a specific trace element or mineral, are: a) Role of the element in species longevity, b) Recommended intake for longevity in animal species and in the elderly, c) Deficiency and age-related disease, d) Excess/toxicity and age-related disease, and e) Interactions with drugs prescribed in the elderly. Clinical, animal and other laboratory models of interest in aging are included, which enable a more in-depth analysis to be made. The respective chapters are a mixture of overviews and more in-depth reviews in which the mechanisms of aging are described from the point of view of their specific interactions with trace elements and minerals.