Selenium supplement

[rachell]

Hi, I just found this article while searching the internet. It's back from 2003 but I found it interesting reading with regard to selenium as a helpful aid for lymphoedema. Here's the link if interested:

http://www.supportiveoncology.net/journal/articles/0102121.pdf

It sounds worth a go anyway... especially here in NZ where our soils are said to be selenium deficient...

[Lynora]

Hi Rachell - well spotted!  I remember reading this some years ago, and am a bit disappointed that further clinical studies haven't been done.  What is worth bearing in mind is that people shouldn't be tempted to rush off to the local health food shop and stock up on selenium - the doses that the trial subjects were receiving were monitored and measured to avoid selenium poisoning.  It is advisable to talk through selenium supplementation with either the lymphoedema management team, a GP or a pharmacist - it could be that some patients live in areas where selenium appears naturally at appropriate levels, so taking excess could cause problems.

[SKB]

Thanks Rachell for a most interesting article. The fact that the authors are reporting a double blind placebo controlled trial (even of only 179 people) is encouraging. As Lynora says, a shame there aren't more research studies on this - and other aspects of l/o. Dare I say that this could be because l/o treatment is more often therapist led than clinician led? We all want practical help but isustained nnovation needs objecitve evidence to gain acceptance.