CDC: More Than 180 Sickened From 'Toxic' Vitamins Apr 22, 2008
Health officials are investigating more than 180 reports of illness in people who took dietary supplements containing toxic levels of the mineral selenium. Last month, federal officials warned consumers about harmful doses of selenium _ a mineral considered healthful in small amounts in plastic bottles of liquid Total Body Formula and Total Body Mega Formula ... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found up to 200 times the label level of selenium in the products. (Fox News)
Mounting Illness Reports Linked To Supplement Apr 20, 2008
(April 19, 2008)--Officials are investigating more than 180 reports of illness in people who took dietary supplements containing toxic levels of the mineral selenium. Last month, federal health officials warned consumers about harmful doses of selenium in plastic bottles of liquid Total Body Formula and Total Body Mega Formula. (KWTX.com, TX)
More ills tied to toxic dietary supplement Apr 19, 2008
ATLANTA - Health officials are investigating more than 180 reports of illness in people who took dietary supplements containing toxic levels of the mineral selenium. Last month, federal officials warned consumers about harmful doses of selenium a mineral considered healthful in small amounts in plastic bottles of liquid Total Body Formula and Total Body Mega Formula ... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found up to 200 times the label level of selenium in the products. (MSNBC -- Health)
The DNA of antioxidants Apr 19, 2008
The first is made up of certain familiar vitamins and minerals, like vitamins C and E, selenium, and zinc, that have antioxidant capabilities ... Selenium: Brazil nuts, red meat, tuna. (CNN -- Health)
Vitamins 'may shorten your life' Apr 17, 2008
The research involved selecting various studies from 817 on beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium which the team felt were the most likely to fairly reflect the impact of the supplements on reducing mortality ... VITAL VITAMIN FACTS Vitamin A: Found in: Oily fish, eggs and liver; Good for: Thought to boost immune system, and help skin, sight and sperm formation Vitamin C: Found in: Many fruit and vegetables; Good for: Helps heal wounds and assists the body in absorbing... (BBC News -- Health)
State issues warning for 'Total Body' dietary supplements Apr 17, 2008
The products have been shown to contain dangerous amounts of selenium, which, if taken in excessive amounts, can cause significant hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain, fatigue, loss of skin and blistering of skin, according to the federal Food and Drug Administration. The distributor recalled these products almost a month ago, but the Georgia Poison Center is still receiving calls about new cases. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Research: Vitamins may increase risk... Apr 17, 2008
The review, published by The Cochrane Collaboration, involved trials on beta-carotene, A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium ... When the different antioxidants were assessed separately and low risk of bias trials were included and selenium excluded, vitamin A was linked to a 16% increased risk of dying, beta-carotene to a seven percent increased risk and vitamin E to a four percent increased risk ... "Selenium tended to reduce mortality but only when high-bias risk trials were considered.... (CNN -- Law)
The Truth About Antioxidants: Useless? Apr 17, 2008
Bjelakovic added that there was no indication that the antioxidants vitamin C and selenium had any effect on life expectancy. Some diet experts said the results are not surprising in light of previous findings. (ABC News)
Total Body Essential Nutrition recalls two products Apr 16, 2008
Due to excess amounts of selenium and chromium, the eight- and 32-ounce bottles of "Total Body Formula" dietary supplement in tropical orange and peach nectar flavors and the 32-ounce bottles of "Total Body Mega Formula" in orange/tangerine flavor should not be consumed, the Pennsylvania Department of Health warned. The Food and Drug Administration investigated the products and found extremely high levels of selenium -- up to 40,800 micrograms per recommended serving, or more than 200 times the... (Bizjournals.com)
Vitamin pills 'increase risk of early death' Apr 16, 2008
"Antioxidants, including vitamins A, E, C and beta-carotene and selenium, are said to mop up compounds, called free radicals, which cause disease. It is this action that researchers believe may cause problems with the defence system.The Danish research, released by the influential Cochrane Library, applied only to synthetic supplements and not to vitamins that occur naturally in vegetables and fruit.It found that vitamin A supplements increased the risk of death in healthy people by 16 per cent.... (Telegraph.co.uk)
PA Department of Health Warns Consumers About Adverse Reactions From Dietary Supplements Apr 15, 2008
Due to excess amounts of selenium and chromium, the eight- and 32-ounce bottles of "Total Body Formula" dietary supplement (in tropical orange and peach nectar flavors) and the 32-ounce bottles of "Total Body Mega Formula" (in orange/tangerine flavor), are not to be consumed ... The Food and Drug Administration analyzed the product and found extremely high levels of selenium -- up to 40,800 micrograms per recommended serving, or more than 200 times the amount of selenium per serving (i ...... (PR Newswire)
Heart risk may be set in the womb Apr 9, 2008
The researchers said their work on animals suggested it may be possible to reverse the damage caused by a lack of oxygen by boosting beneficial nutrients such as Vitamins C and E, selenium and lycopene in the mother's diet. Dr Giussani said: "This may halt the development of heart disease at its very origin, bringing preventative medicine back into the womb.". (BBC News -- Health)
Supplements are not nutritious Apr 5, 2008
Selenium supplementation, for example in mineral tablets, might not be that beneficial for the majority of people according to researchers writing in the open access journal Genome Biology. Although this trace element is essential in the diet of humans, it seems that we have lost some of the need for selenium, which occurs in proteins and is transported in blood plasma, when our evolutionary ancestors left the oceans and evolved into mammals ... Weve found that the evolutionary change from fish... (EurekAlert!)
Get your antioxidants from food Mar 28, 2008
Going back to 1983, the British medical journal "Lancet" published a study that showed people with low levels of antioxidants such as selenium were twice as likely to develop cancer, compared to those with normal levels. Another study from the Netherlands associated low selenium levels with an increased risk of heart attacks. (Marco Island Sun-Times, FL)
Reducing Cancer Risk Feb 29, 2008
Certain nuts, such as Brazil nuts, have trace minerals such as selenium that may play a powerful role in cancer prevention. The latest research on selenium and prostate cancer risk shows men should get this nutrient in food, and not from supplements. (WOKR13 Rochester)
Moderate Selenium Levels Tied to Longer Life Feb 28, 2008
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When it comes to the effects of selenium on health and longevity, you may be able to get too much of a good thing. While moderate levels of the mineral are associated with longevity, once selenium levels climb past a certain mark, the odds of dying from any cause, or from cancer specifically, begin to tip upward, a new study suggests ... The study, of nearly 14,000 U.S. adults, found that higher blood levels of selenium were linked to a lower risk of death over 12... (MEDLINEplus)
In California, restaurants to bolster the immune system Feb 21, 2008
For example, there is the Buddha roll, which has shiitake mushrooms (which have iron and Vitamin C, Koff said), lemongrass mushroom soup (lemon grass has folate, zinc and iron) and wild salmon tartar, which features cucumbers (vitamin C, folate and vitamin A), wild salmon (omega 3, selenium), garlic (selenium, phytochemicals) and red onion (vitamin C and copper, among other things). "What I looked for were ingredients that brought forward minerals and phytochemicals," Koff said, referring to... (International Herald Tribune)
Regular Consumers Of Vitamin Supplements Cautioned Feb 20, 2008
Selenium was found to decrease death rates by ten percent when given on its own or as supplements. Relying on vitamin supplements to ward off cancer will not profit the consumer. (MedIndia)
Vitamin Supplements may cause more harm than good Feb 19, 2008
However, Vitamin C and selenium pills have no tangible effect ... However, they did notice that selenium was the only supplement that was found to cut death rates by 10% when given on its own or as supplements. (HealthJockey.com)
Supplements 'reduce malaria toll' Feb 7, 2008
Dr Behrens also warned that too much zinc could have a negative impact on the body's ability to make use of other minerals, such as copper and selenium. Vitamin A in excess had been shown to be toxic, he said, causing brain swelling and other complications. (BBC News -- Health)
Diet and behaviour Eat it up and be a good boy Feb 1, 2008
SUPPLEMENTS are all the rage: evening primrose oil; St John's wort; fish oils; glucosamine; selenium; zinc; iron; molybdenum; probiotics. And don't forget those old standbys, multivitamin tablets. (Economist)
Antioxidants won't cut cancer risk, report says Jan 31, 2008
Selenium supplements reduced cancer risk by 23 percent among men, the researchers found, but had no effect on women ... While future studies of beta carotene and vitamin E for cancer prevention are "very unlikely" to show effectiveness, they add, such studies of selenium "could be warranted.". (MSNBC -- Health)
Multiple Micronutrients Cut Early Infant Deaths Jan 23, 2008
The MMN contained the exactly the same dose of iron and folic acid, plus vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, zinc, copper, selenium, and iodine. The supplements were to be taken daily during pregnancy through 90 days after delivery. (MEDLINEplus)
Mayo Clinic Proceedings January tip sheet Jan 19, 2008
Selenium supplementation was found to lower the risk of cancer in men (not in women), but the number of trials were few and further research is required. A large trial assessing the effect of selenium in lowering the risk of prostate cancer is currently underway ... Selenium might have beneficial properties, but it cannot be recommended for general use until more evidence is available. (EurekAlert!)
Climate change, gender differences, health among EurekAlert! 10 Most Popular Stories in 2007 Jan 11, 2008
The association was strongest in men with a family history of prostate cancer and men who also took selenium, beta-carotene or zinc supplements. Another story among the most popular in 2007 focused on two Swedish studies that identified smoking, a low formal level of education and certain metabolic indicators as important risk factors in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. (EurekAlert!)
Want Fewer Bad Hair Days? Eat Better! Jan 10, 2008
FOR SHINY HAIR Omega 3 fatty acids: encourage re-growth and prevent hair loss (salmon, walnuts, flaxseed) Vitmin A: helps produce healthy sebum in scalp (carrots, Swiss chard, cantaloupe) Vitamin C: maintains scalp health Selenium: keeps skin and scalp supple and elastic (tuna, turkey). Choose: wild salmon, tuna, sardines, walnuts, brazil nuts, beets, broccoli, carrots, berries, melons, flaxseed. (CBS News -- Early Show)
Nutrition Drink Aids Older Hospitalized Patients Dec 29, 2007
The nutritional supplement provided 100 percent of the Reference Nutrient Intakes for older adults for vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, biotin, and pantothenic acid, as well as the minerals potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, iodine, copper, manganese, and selenium, the investigators report in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Quality of life assessments after 6 weeks did not identify significant differences between the patients who received... (MEDLINEplus)
The Cancer Diet Dec 17, 2007
Each year brings a drumbeat of lab studies suggesting links between various dietary chemicals and cancer prevention: broccoli, soy, ketchup, bran, selenium ... Interest in this element (found in nuts, meat and fish) exploded in 1996 after University of Arizona researchers studying selenium supplements to prevent skin cancer unexpectedly found they reduced the incidence of prostate cancer by 60% in a 1,312-patient trial ... But those results aren't definitive, and the study found higher rates of... (Forbes)
With help from her friends and family, local comedy figure Grace White faces cancer with both laughter and tears Dec 16, 2007
Look up the words Tangeretin, Selenium, and best of all Carnivora. I may one day get Cancer but at least I know I am doing my best not to let it get inside of me that easily. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Playing doctors and nurses Nov 25, 2007
I go to Boots and buy some selenium ... Dr Sharma says selenium is very important: 'Without selenium you don't make glutathione, so your allergic defence goes wrong ... Selenium deficiency is the reason we've had a sixfold increase in allergies since the Sixties. (Guardian Unlimited)
Slightly overweight a cancer risk Nov 1, 2007
But selenium, in the diet or as a supplement, did appear to have benefits against lung, colon and prostate cancer. The Times. (The Australian)
Grain, Stalk Quality Concerns Increasing Oct 26, 2007
In addition, although vitamin E and selenium do not appear to protect against aflatoxins, vitamin E may be depleted in mold contaminated feeds and testing for its status in animals or supplementing the ration is recommended. Mold inhibitors, such as the organic acids, can prevent continued mold growth where moisture above 12 to 14 percent is a problem. (Agri-View, WI)
Deciphering the diet claims, part II Oct 13, 2007
SELENIUM, a mineral, along with other antioxidants found in foods and supplements have all been found unlikely to reduce the risk of cancer. Risk of heart disease Under claims to reduce the risk of heart disease: * NUTS - scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, a direct link between the consumption of nuts and a reduced risk of developing heart disease. (Marco Island Sun-Times, FL)
Wine and berry pills to aid fight against cancer Oct 5, 2007
Many people already take supplements such as selenium in the belief it might cut the risk of them developing lung, bowel and prostate cancer. A trial in America is looking at the role of selenium in protecting against prostate cancer but the full results are not expected until 2012. (Daily Mail)
Calf Raisers to Share Their Experiences at World Dairy Expo Sep 28, 2007
Calves receive a First Defense bolus and 2ccs of selenium and vitamin E, as well as 20ccs of a clostridium antitoxin. They also have their navel dipped with iodine. (Agri-View, WI)
Diet and medications may assist prevention of prostate cancer Sep 24, 2007
In addition, there is strong evidence that dietary fat significantly impacts disease development and promising data that other compounds, such as soy, selenium and green tea, offer additional possibilities for disease prevention ... In one study of selenium, the incidence of prostate cancer was reduced by 49 percent over ten years. (EurekAlert!)
* What are the real benefits of using antioxidant supplements? Sep 3, 2007
Fruits and vegetables are sources of numerous micronutrients, and some -- including b-carotene (a precursor of vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium -- have potential as antioxidants. But what specifically makes fruits and vegetables so beneficial is not clear. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Business)
Sweetener sorrow Aug 25, 2007
Half the volunteers took a daily capsule that contained 120 milligrams of vitamin C, 30 mg of vitamin E, 6 mg of beta-carotene, 100 mg of selenium and 20 mg of zinc. The other half took a placebo each day. (Globe and Mail)
Older adults with low selenium have weaker muscles Aug 23, 2007
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults with low levels of the mineral selenium may be lacking in muscle strength, a new study suggests. Researchers found that in a group of men and women age 65 and up, those with the lowest blood levels of selenium were at greatest risk of poor muscle strength around the hips, knees and hands ... The new findings, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that low selenium levels may be one of the reasons for age-related muscle weakness. (Scientific American)
Study: Antioxidants Boost Women's Skin Cancer Risk Aug 22, 2007
The antioxidants included vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc. Researchers found the incidence of all skin cancers to be higher in the group of women that took the antioxidant. (Fox News)
Antioxidants may increase women's skin cancer rjsk Aug 22, 2007
The researchers looked at about 13,000 French adults, ages 35 to 60, half of whom took an oral daily capsule of antioxidant that contained vitamins C, E, beta carotene and selenium. The other half took a placebo. (abc13.com)
Summary for Patients Aug 21, 2007
Effects of Long-Term Selenium Supplementation on the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Trial -- Stranges et al. 147 (4): 217 -- Annals of Internal Medicine ... Long-Term Use of Selenium Supplements and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes ... The summary below is from the full report titled "Effects of Long-Term Selenium Supplementation on the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes. A Randomized Trial." It is in the 21 August 2007 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine (volume 147, pages 217-223). (Annals of Internal Medicine)
Antioxidant Supplements May Raise Women's Skin Cancer Risk Aug 21, 2007
The antioxidants included 120 milligrams of vitamin C, 30 milligrams of vitamin E, 6 milligrams of beta-carotene, 100 milligrams of selenium and 20 milligrams of zinc. "They are not high doses," Hercberg said. (Forbes)
Older low-cost drugs are best buys for type 2 diabetes Jul 17, 2007
Supplement linked to diabetes in studyPeople who take selenium supplements in the hope of preventing diabetes may actually worsen their odds, U.S. researchers said. --MSNBC. (SpiritIndia)
China: U.S. media exaggerating food woes Jul 16, 2007
In the latest move against suspect U.S. products, the quality watchdog said on its Web site Monday that protein powder imported from Los Angeles-based Jarrow Formulas Inc. contained too much selenium, an element that can be toxic in large doses. The statement said all of the powder has been returned, but gave no other details. (Anchorage Daily News)
Selenium Supplements May Increase The Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes Jul 16, 2007
Selenium, an antioxidant included in multivitamin tablets thought to have a possible protective effect against the development of type 2 diabetes, may actually increase the risk of developing the disease, an analysis by researchers at the University at Buffalo has shown. Results of a randomized clinical trial using 200 micrograms of selenium alone showed that 55 percent more cases of type 2 diabetes developed among participants randomized to receive selenium than in those who received a placebo... (Science Daily)
China accuses foreign media of raising unnecessary alarm about its exports Jul 16, 2007
In the latest move against suspect U.S. products, the agency said on its Web site Monday that protein powder imported from Jarrow Formulas, based in Los Angeles, contained too much selenium. Selenium can be toxic in large doses. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Vitamins 'could shorten lifespan' Jul 16, 2007
The Copenhagen team reviewed more than 815 clinical trials into the benefits of vitamins A, E, and C, alongside beta-carotene and selenium - all commonly-used supplements ... While the risk of death was unchanged among selenium and vitamin C users, a statistically significant increase in risk emerged for the other three supplements. (Yahoo News -- Diet and Nutrition)
Selenium Supplements Linked With Increased Risk For Diabetes In 8-year Study Jul 13, 2007
A new analysis of data from a large national study found that people who took a 200 microgram selenium supplement each day for almost eight years had an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who took a placebo or dummy pill. The data came from the Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Trial (NPC), a large randomized, multi-center, clinical trial from the eastern United States, designed to evaluate whether selenium supplements prevent skin cancer ... Half received a 200 microgram... (Science Daily)
Selenium Supplements Fail to Show Diabetes Benefit Jul 11, 2007
COVENTRY, England, July 10 -- Selenium supplementation does not prevent diabetes and might actually precipitate it, a large prevention trial has suggested ... Explain to interested patients that this study found that selenium supplementation does not reduce the risk of diabetes ... Explain that most people in this country receive adequate selenium from their diet and supplementation may put them at risk of diabetes. (MedPage Today)
Supplement linked to diabetes in study Jul 11, 2007
200 micrograms of selenium daily raised risk by 50 percent, researchers say ... WASHINGTON - People who take selenium supplements in the hope of preventing diabetes may actually worsen their odds, U.S. researchers said on Monday ... An unusually well-controlled trial showed that people who took selenium pills raised their risk of diabetes by more than half, compared to similar people taking placebos. (MSNBC -- Health)
Some antidepressants may bode ill for bone density Jul 11, 2007
SELENIUM AND DIABETES RISK Findings from animal studies have suggested that the antioxidant selenium improves glucose metabolism, so researchers decided to see whether it would reduce the incidence of Type 2 diabetes. They found that on the contrary, selenium might actually increase the risk ... The researchers used data from 1,250 people with an average age of 63, originally recruited to test selenium as a cancer preventive. (International Herald Tribune -- Health)
Selenium supplements linked to diabetes in U.S. study Jul 10, 2007
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People who take selenium supplements in the hope of preventing diabetes may actually worsen their odds, U.S. researchers said on Monday. An unusually well-controlled trial showed that people who took selenium pills raised their risk of diabetes by more than half, compared to similar people taking placebos ... "I would not advise patients to take selenium supplements greater than those in multiple vitamins," said Dr. Saverio Stranges of Warwick Medical School in Britain,... (Scientific American)
Selenium supplements, diabetes risk linked Jul 10, 2007
Study: Selenium supplements may raise diabetes risk - CNN.com ... Study: Selenium supplements may raise diabetes risk ... Study subjects who took selenium pills raised diabetes risk by more than half. (CNN -- Health)
Selenium Supplements Linked To Type 2 Diabetes Jul 10, 2007
Instead, the cumulative incidence of type 2 diabetes was statistically significantly higher in the selenium group than in the placebo group. " The results were independent of baseline age, sex, smoking status and body mass index (BMI) except for those in the highest 33 per cent of BMI. More significantly, the risk for type 2 diabetes linked to selenium supplementation increased with greater blood levels of selenium at the start of the study. The researchers concluded that these findings showed... (Medical News Today)
Breathing lessons Jul 10, 2007
There is evidence to suggest that asthmatics may benefit from antioxidants such as vitamins E and C, as well as the mineral selenium, which can be found in foods such as brazil nuts, cereals, dairy products, fish and meat ... But Dr Seif Shaheen, a senior lecturer in epidemiology at Imperial College and senior research fellow for Asthma UK who works in the area of asthma and diet, says: "In our selenium trial, a lot of the asthma sufferers had quite good selenium levels - so extra selenium... (Guardian Unlimited)
Selenium Supplement No Help in Asthma Jun 23, 2007
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Even though selenium levels seem to be low in adults with asthma, selenium supplementation appears to have no clinical benefit, according to the results of a study from the UK.. "Epidemiological evidence from observational studies has suggested that blood levels and dietary intake of selenium of adults with asthma are lower than those of controls," Dr. Seif O. Shaheen, of Imperial College London, and colleagues point out in the medical journal Thorax ... They also... (MEDLINEplus)
Vets seeing more horses with nutritional issues this year Jun 12, 2007
Expert warns selenium poisoning, vitamin E deficiency a result of last years drought, bad hay ... Because of the poor Missouri hay crop, horse owners imported hay from other states nearby and possibly fed their horses hay that was too high in selenium ... Selenium is a naturally occurring element and is an essential part of horse diets. (EurekAlert!)
Study: Women On Vitamin D Get Less Cancer Jun 9, 2007
Most other supplements have tended to target specific types of disease in early testing, like selenium or vitamin E for prostate cancer. This study, , is the first time that researchers significantly boosted -- and measured -- blood levels of vitamin D and then followed identical groups of patients from start to finish. (Click2Houston, TX)
ASK DR. MICHAEL FOX Jun 3, 2007
A healthy diet - not dry cat food - with supplements such as a few drops of fish oil and selenium may help give your cat a fighting chance. DEAR DR. FOX: My 9-year-old mini-dachshund has been very stinky for a long time. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
Go easy on the vitamins May 22, 2007
Another recent trend is to take daily doses of antioxidants such as beta carotene, vitamin A and C or selenium in order to protect yourself against cancer, heart disease or signs of premature ageing ... Antioxidants (beta carotene, vitamins A, E, C and selenium). (Guardian Unlimited)
Vitamin-prostate puzzle May 21, 2007
Granek is principal investigator of Long Island's contribution to an ongoing 12-year federal study examining whether vitamin E or the mineral selenium prevent the disease. The two supplements had shown in smaller studies in the 1990s that men were protected from prostate cancer. (Newsday -- Health)
Cancer survival rates double over 30 years May 18, 2007
Stars of the silver screen, including Jude Law are in Cannes for the 60th film festival. Last updated at 23:57pm on 15th May 2007. (Daily Mail)
Multivitamin use raises risk of advanced prostate cancer? May 17, 2007
But the study also found that those who took selenium, -carotene, or zinc were among those who faced the highest risk, which is less explainable ... Men who heavily used selenium faced a 37 percent increased risk of localized prostate cancer ... Those who took selenium plus seven multivitamins a week faced a 5. (Food Consumer)
Study raises concerns over multivitamins and prostate cancer May 17, 2007
They add that the positive associations with excessive multivitamin use were strongest in men with a family history of the disease, or amongst men who took additional micronutrient supplements, including , selenium, or zinc. The research is at odds with a nested study published recently in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that reported that an increased selenium intake in combination with a daily multivitamin may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by about 40 per cent.. (NutraIngredients.com)
