Selenium supplements & Keep Hope Alive

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  May, 2004  by Jule Klotter

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The essential trace mineral selenium has several uses including antioxidant protection, immune system stimulation, and cancer prevention. In Keep Hope Alive's Journal of Immunity (Spring 2003), Mark Konlee urges people to include Brazil nuts and seafood--both selenium-rich--in their diets. He recommends that people avoid supplements with sodium selenite because of toxic effects and L-selenomethionine, the most common form sold in health food stores.

After studying research literature, Konlee says he found no evidence that daily usage of L-selenomethionine as high as 1800 mcg for several weeks produced any positive effects other than a "small decline in mercury levels." Patient reports to Keep Hope Alive support these results. As of September 2002, fourteen people had found no benefit from selenium supplements containing L-selenomethionine. Lab tests indicated no increases in WBC, CD4, or CD8 counts; and viral loads failed to decrease. In addition, half of these people experienced adverse effects. One person with CFIDS reported a numbing sensation on the right side of his body that disappeared a few days after he discontinued selenomethionine. Another experienced pain in the kidney area. Lung congestion and skin problems are other possible negative effects.

In contrast, Keep Hope Alive has received over 20 cases in which a plant-based selenium supplement has "completely resolved many cases of long standing candidiasis and, [has] reduced fatigue, increased T cell counts and WBCs, restored the ability to sweat and restored pure whiteness to the whites of the eyes. Not one case of adverse effects has been reported in the past year from using plant-based selenium supplements at dosages up to 1800 mcg daily." These supplements are made from high-selenium mustard greens (e.g., Ecological Formulas's "Selenium Cruciferate" or Solaray's "Bio-Active Selenium"), high-selenium broccoli (e.g., Jarrow Formulas "Activated Selenium"), or selenium-yeast (Source Natural's "Selenomax"). The L-selenomethionine supplements, promoted as an amino acid chelate, are actually "an inorganic selenium in a base of L-methionine," according to Konlee's conversation with one company's employee.

Keep Hope Alive is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization, dedicated to researching and informing the public about low-cost effective treatments for people with compromised immune systems. The organization does not receive any funding from government or corporations, depending instead on small contributions from individuals to pay for lab tests of various supplements and foods. The group's website, www.keephope.net, has over 1000 pages of information on nutritional and immune-based therapies. The web site also has a Message Board for sharing information, asking questions, and presenting diverse views. The Journal of Immunity (published quarterly) gives updates on the information in Mark Konlee's newest book, Immune Restoration Handbook. A worldwide list of health care practitioners who subscribe to the newsletter or have bought Konlee's current or past books is available under Quicklinks on the Keep Hope Alive home page. Keep Hope Alive can be contacted at P.O. Box 270041, West Allis, Wisconsin 53227; phone 414-548-4344 fax 414-329-0653.

Konlee, Mark. Journal of Immunity Spring 2003

COPYRIGHT 2004 The Townsend Letter Group
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