Relative Bioavailability of Inorganic and Natural Selenium

Introduction Research efforts have identified groups of people with low selenium intakes and presumed selenium deficiency based on low blood selenium levels. Inhabitants of New Zealand [1], Finland [2], and China [3] often have low blood selenium. Individuals with therapeutic diets low in selenium [4], people undergoing parenteral administration [5] and alcoholics with cirrhosis [6] can also be selenium deficient. Epidemiological studies have shown that low blood selenium levels have been linked to increased incidence of cancer [7,8] and heart disease[9].