Historical Perspectives on Selenium
2001
OLDFIELD, J. E.
From its early roles as a poisoner of livestock and a suspected carcinogen, selenium has evolved to be recognized as an essential nutrient and as a possible anticancer agent. Studies with domestic animals identified a number of previously unknown metabolic diseases that were selenium-responsive and occurrences of these have been noted worldwide. Selenium supplementation, when diets are selenium deficient, is now an accepted husbandry practice in commercial animal production. Attention has now changed to a focus on possible benefits from selenium in maintaining human health, and evidence is growing that it protects against heart disease and certain types of cancer and that it may function in the development of the immune system.
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