Selenium supplements increase diabetes risk

According to a recent journal article in the Annals of Internal Medicine, those people with high blood selenium levels face greater risks of developing type 2 diabetes . Therefore, those people who take selenium supplements face a greater chance of developing the disease.
The head researcher, Dr. Stranges from the Warwick Medical School in Coventry, reportedly commented: “The hypothesis was that, because of its antioxidant properties, selenium could be beneficial in diabetes prevention. Actually, long-term selenium supplementation did not have any benefits in diabetes prevention and actually increased the risk for this disease.”
Selenium is a common mineral used by the body as a metabolic aid. Supplements based around the mineral are often used to relieve or treat arthritis, shingles and cold sores. A whole other market revolving around using the supplements as fertility enhancers, cancer and age prevention.
Stranges concluded: “Most people in the United States have adequate selenium in their diet . Taking selenium on top of an adequate dietary intake may cause diabetes.”