09 | 12 | 2007 Posted By Regan Zambri & Long

Diabetes Supplement Found to Cause Diabetes: New Study

Selenium, an antioxidant trace mineral marketed as a nutritional supplement for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes actually increases the risk of developing the disease, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.  In a randomized clinical trial using 200mg of selenium alone, researchers determined that Type 2 diabetes developed 55% more frequently in patients taking the supplement than in patients who took a placebo.  Patients with the highest selenium levels had the highest incidence of Type 2 diabetes, the researchers report.  The 7-year study followed more than 1,200 patients who enrolled as non-diabetics, and increased risks associated with age, sex, smoking status and body mass were controlled for statistically. 

Researchers concede that the link between the mineral and diabetes is not well understood, and suspect that while a small amount of selenium is essential for good health, an abundance could make it detrimental.  In well-nourished populations such as are found in most of the U.S., they report, nutritional deficiencies of selenium are generally not observed. 

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