Evidence supporting the use of: Selenium
For the body system: Prostate

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 3

Selenium is an essential trace mineral that has been studied for its role in prostate health, particularly in relation to prostate cancer risk. Scientific interest in selenium’s effects on the prostate was largely spurred by observational studies suggesting that higher selenium status might be associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Selenium’s proposed mechanisms of action include its antioxidant properties, which may help protect prostate cells from oxidative damage, and its potential role in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis.

However, large, well-designed randomized controlled trials have yielded mixed results. The most notable is the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT), which found no significant reduction in prostate cancer risk with selenium supplementation and even suggested a potential increase in risk in certain subgroups. Other meta-analyses and systematic reviews have concluded that while selenium is essential for health, supplementation does not consistently demonstrate a protective effect against prostate cancer in men with adequate baseline selenium levels.

In summary, while selenium has a scientific basis for its use in supporting prostate health, especially in populations with low selenium status, current high-quality evidence does not robustly support supplementation for prostate disease prevention in the general population. The use of selenium for prostate support is therefore rated as having moderate (3/5) scientific evidence, with benefits likely limited to specific deficiencies rather than broad supplementation.

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