There’s little doubt that what you eat influences your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Eating a high calorie, high carbohydrate diet contributes to weight gain and insulin resistance which increases the risk of this common disease. Now, a new study shows that getting more dietary selenium could reduce type 2 diabetes risk – at least in men.

According to a study published in Nutrition and Metabolism, men with higher blood levels of selenium are less likely to have blood glucose abnormalities that lead up to type 2 diabetes. Researchers measured the blood selenium levels of 1162 middle aged French men and women and then followed their blood sugar levels over a nine year period.

They found that men who had the highest blood selenium levels were less likely to have blood sugar abnormalities than those who got lower amounts of dietary selenium. This was true even when they controlled for other factors that would alter the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Unfortunately, the same didn’t hold true for women whose risk for blood sugar problems was the same regardless of how many high selenium foods they ate. The researchers in this study emphasized that the French naturally consume higher amounts of dietary selenium, so it’s hard to generalize to other populations.

Even though these results are interesting, don’t be too quick to head to the health food store to pick up a bottle of selenium. A previous study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that taking a 200 microgram selenium supplement daily actually increased the risk of type 2 diabetes. In addition, selenium can be toxic at doses above 400 micrograms per day. It’s possible that taking selenium supplements has entirely different effects on the body than eating foods high in selenium.

The best option is to get selenium through diet rather than by taking supplements. Foods high in selenium include meats of all types – especially shellfish. The number one source of selenium is Brazil nuts. It’s best to eat these foods in moderation since some meats are high in fat. Most people get adequate quantities of selenium in their diet and aren’t in danger of developing a selenium deficiency.

Selenium and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: The Bottom Line?

Whether or not foods high in selenium reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes is still not clear and there’s the risk of selenium toxicity from supplements. Eat a healthy, well balanced diet and you should get enough dietary selenium without the need for supplements.

References:

Medscape.com website. “Selenium Protective Against Dysglycemia in French Men”

WebMd.com website. “Selenium Supplements: Diabetes Risk?”

Filed under: Fitness

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