Selenium (in fish) May Help Prevent Prostate Cancer - December 2001

Prostate cancer is the No. 1 form of cancer affecting men, and a leading cause of cancer deaths among men, according to the American Cancer Society. A Stanford University researcher has found evidence that men with low blood levels of selenium are four to five times more likely to contract prostate cancer.

James D. Brooks, MD, the lead author of a paper in the Dec. 1 issue of the Journal of Urology, said the research confirmed that higher blood levels of selenium were associated with lower risks of prostate cancer. His group also discovered that blood selenium levels decline with age.
A large study is now under way at Stanford and other major medical centers to test whether supplements will reduce prostate cancer rates.

According to Joyce Nettleton, author of Seafood Nutrition, shellfish is a good source of selenium along with a number of fish species. In addition to protecting against some cancers selenium also is believed to be protective against Methylmercury and inorganic mercury.

As has been the case with Omega-3s, much of the clinical work on selenium will be done with supplements for convenience and dosage control; however the findings may provide yet another reason why seafood is a healthy choice.
NEFDA, 12/4/01