The Effect of Dietary Levels of Selenium
on Radiation Resistance and
Radiation–induced Carcinogenesis

This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to:    Frankp@chiro.org

Nutrition Research 1996;   16 (3):   505–516

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Combined (internal plus external) radiation exposure of the population and emergency workers, as a result of the Chernobyl accident, increased the oncogenic risk, and to reduce it is a problem of the utmost importance. A long–term experiment in 400 rats exposed to radiation following the Chernobyl pattern showed that a selenium–enriched diet started after exposure caused a longer average lifespan and a 1.5 – 3.5 fold decrease of leukaemias and other malignancies, e.g. breast, thyroid and lung cancers, etc., at late times. Selenium was first demonstrated to provide protection against late effects which is equivalent to a whole–body dose reduction by 1.4 Sv (140 rem). The dietary levels of selenium used were above those accepted as physiological but considerably below toxic ones (10, 30 and 100 microg Se/day per capita).

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