QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Levander, O. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Levander, O. A.

Upper Limit of Selenium in Infant Formulas¹

Human Nutrition Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705

At present, the amount of selenium in infant formulas is not controlled and varies depending upon the selenium content of the raw materials used in its manufacture. Since selenium deficiency has been associated with two diseases of childhood, prudence dictates that the concentration of selenium in infant formulas be standardized. Extrapolation from studies with human adults indicates that a daily intake of 10 µg of selenium is sufficient to meet the nutritional requirement of the infant while providing a reasonable margin of safety. Extrapolation from adult studies also suggests that intakes of 75–160 µg/d might have harmful effects in infants. On the other hand, no cases of selenosis in infants have been reported in high selenium areas of the United States, where human breast milk supplies as much as 47 µg/d. Therefore, it is proposed that infant formulas contain enough selenium to provide 10–45 µg/d.

KEY WORDS: • selenium deficiency • Keshan disease • Kashin-Beck disease • glutathione peroxidase • selenosis • selenium toxicity • bioavailability • infant formulas

¹ This paper was presented at a symposium, "Upper Limits of Nutrients in Infant Formulas," November 7–8, 1988, in Iowa City, IA.