Research
Micronutrients & recovery
Low selenium intake is associated with increased cancer incidence or mortality, although controlled epidemiological studies are limited by a lack of knowledge about precise intake levels.
Ensure adequate selenium intake through a varied diet including seafood, nuts, and grains. While laboratory studies suggest a link between low selenium and higher cancer risk, epidemiological evidence is not yet conclusive, so supplementation should be approached with caution and ideally under medical guidance.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
the finding in the mid-1960's that low selenium intake may be associated with increased cancer incidence or mortality has been tested in well-controlled laboratory experiments
Why this rating
Laboratory experiments support the link, but epidemiological data is lacking.
Source
Diet and Cancer
Walter C. Willett · The Oncologist · 2000
DOI 10.1634/theoncologist.5-5-393
narrative_reviewCited 243×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- High dietary fat intake is associated with an increased incidence of certain cancers, particularly breast cancer, as evidenced by concordant epidemiological and laboratory animal studies.Moderate
- Fruits, vegetables, and whole grain cereals are associated with a reduction in cancer risk, and research should focus on identifying the specific active constituents and their mechanisms.Moderate
Related findings · Micronutrients & recovery
- Trans fats (industrial trans-fatty acids) are unequivocally harmful and should be completely avoided as they raise LDL-C, TGs, and Apo B while lowering HDL-C.Strong
- For menopausal women with osteoporosis, first-line pharmacologic therapies include alendronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab for the prevention of hip, nonvertebral, and vertebral fractures.Strong
- Folic acid fortification of flour prevents neural tube birth defects, and mandatory fortification is more effective than voluntary supplementation alone.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →