I was a little apprehensive when I read the recent announcement by the National Cancer Institute to halt Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial because neither supplement - taken alone or in combination is not working. I have been taking both supplements for years and did a considerable research on the selenium. I finally got the answer I was looking for and would like to share.
It turns out that the selenium used in the recent study was selenomethionine - an amino acid containing selenium, not the organically bounded selenium yeast. In additon, the vitamin E used is not the natural alpha tocopherol (d-Alpha Tocopherol) but a cheap synthetic compound dl-tocopherol, a molecule shape that the body cannot utilize.
From a landmark trial, published in a 1996 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, which showed that selenium caused a significant reduction in colon, lung and prostate cancers. The findings from this 1996 JAMA study helped selenium become the only nutrient to earn an FDA-approved qualified health claim for cancer prevention.
The benefits of taking selenium include enhancement of the immune system, increased insulin efficiency and reduction of the risk in some cancers, such as breast and prostate. Just make sure that you either consume Brazilian nuts which are the best source of selenium or you take no more than 200 mcg of selenium (derived from yeast) supplements.
If you are taking vitamin E, spend extra dollars and buy only d-alpha tocopherol.
