Overview of Selenium Deficiency and Toxicity Worldwide: Affected Areas, Selenium-Related Health Issues, and Case Studies

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for human and animal healthy due to its capabilities to support antioxidant defence systems. However, problems related to the deficiency of Se are emerging issue for human health worldwide and plant species differ considerably in their susceptibility to high concentrations of Se, and certain plant species can be able to accumulate Se to astonishingly high concentrations. Many factors can affect the content of Se in different foods, including different uptake rate by plants, which can be related to plant type, soil, pH, microbial activity, rainfall and a number of other biogeochemical parameters. Humans Se intake and Se status in the population depends firstly on Se concentrations in soils, and hence the Se concentrations in the harvested edible plants in these soils. Thus, this chapter aims to compile some information about research work on essentiality of Se for humans and other mammals, and the need for a sufficient daily Se intake.