Independent report

SACN Statement on Selenium and Health - 2013

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition review of current evidence on selenium and health

• From: Public Health England
• Published: 12 May 2013

Documents

SACN Statement on Selenium and Health - 2013

PDF, 551 KB, 97 pages

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Details

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) provide an overview of the implications for health of current dietary intakes of selenium in the UK population, and consider the need for a full risk assessment. As this is a position statement rather than a full risk assessment, it is not intended to be comprehensive but is a narrative review of the key issues and main studies. It also will not include public health recommendations.

SACN considered evidence on the association of various exposures to dietary selenium and the occurrence of cancers, cardiovascular disease, impaired immune, reproductive, thyroid and cognitive function published since 1996 and builds on the previous assessment by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) in 1998 (Food Safety Information Bulletin 1998).

In 1998 COMA concluded that there was no evidence of adverse health consequences associated with selenium intakes in the UK at that time. However, COMA recommended that intakes and indicators of selenium status should be monitored to ascertain whether dietary selenium intakes of the population were adequate (Food Safety Information Bulletin 1998).

Return to the SACN home page for more information on the Committee.

Published 12 May 2013