Serum selenium in adult Czechoslovak (central Bohemia) population.

ABSTRACT

The serum selenium levels in 367 healthy adult (25-64 yr) Central Bohemia residents, 176 men and 191 women, were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. An extremely wide range of values was found in the whole population sample (< 20-296 micrograms/L) as well as in each sex or age category studied. The mean selenium concentration and 95% confidence interval calculated after logarithmic transformation of the data were 74 micrograms/L (71-77) for the whole population sample, 72 micrograms/L (67-76) for men, and 76 micrograms/L (72-81) for women. About 10% of the residents exhibited serum selenium level below 45 micrograms/L. There was no significant correlation between serum selenium and sex, age, or smoking status of participants. However, the lowest average level was found in the group of heavy smoking women 66 micrograms/L. The selenium status of the Central Bohemia population seems to be below European average. Groups of residents having a very low nutritional selenium intake may be expected to occur in this population.