A trace element found in brazil nuts, liver and kidneys, may help protect some women against breast cancer, research suggested
Brazil nuts: could help guard
against breast cancer
against breast cancer
yesterday.
Selenium appears to interact with an enzyme in the body which guards against the disease, scientists said.
Supplements could be given if women whose enzyme was underfunctioning could be identified, according to experts at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Selenium is already thought to protect against other cancers, notably prostate.
There is also evidence, though controversial, that it cuts heart disease risks.
A recent study by Edinburgh University also found falling levels of selenium in UK diets could be increasing people's risk of developing lung, colon and corectal cancers as well as skin cancer.
Levels of selenium in soil have been falling steadily over the years.
The researchers found that skin cells became more resistant to ultraviolet rays when they were treated with selenium compounds.
The study found that selenium could also be used to slow down the skin's ageing process, which is largely the result of exposure to sunlight.
