A STUDY involving North-East scientists has found that higher levels of selenium in our blood are linked to a decreased risk of colorectal cancer.

The study, led jointly by Newcastle University, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-WHO) and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, has shown that Europeans have much lower levels of selenium in their blood than people living in Canada and USA.

Western Europeans average about 80 micrograms per litre – below the 110-170 micrograms per litre reported in people in the North American population.

The team also found that higher selenium levels is significantly associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

The low selenium levels are likely to be linked to the low levels of selenium found in European soils and in the food grown on them.

Now the research team – involving experts from across Europe – are calling for more work to be done to look at the potential benefit of supplementing our diets either by adding selenium to our food or to the land.

Newcastle University’s Professor John Hesketh explains: “Interest in the question of whether selenium intake affects cancer risk has waned a little in recent years because of negative results from a trial in the USA and the reported possible link of selenium to greater risk of diabetes if taken in high doses.

“What our study does is put the debate around selenium and cancer back on the table and highlights the need for further research to understand the benefits, if any, of supplementing diets in regions where selenium is naturally low.

The study was based on 520,000 participants in 10 European countries.

Foods rich in selenium include Brazil nuts, shellfish, red meat, offal and Canadian flour.

In Europe, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related death.