Eating foods rich in the trace mineral selenium may help men ward off advanced prostate cancer, a new report suggests.
A study of 33,737 men found that “higher selenium levels were associated with a reduced risk of advanced prostate cancer,” researchers from Harvard University report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
“If this association is a true cause and effect, that would imply that higher levels would be important to minimize the risk of prostate cancer,” said Edward Giovannucci, one of the report’s authors.
Too much selenium can be dangerous, warned Dr. Philip Taylor of the National Cancer Institute, who said the research is still “one or two steps away from being able to recommend supplementation.”
Selenium is found in minute amounts in meat, fish, whole grains, dairy products and vegetables grown in selenium-rich soil.
It helps maintain the elasticity of body tissues and improves the oxygen supply to the heart.
