Selenium deficiency is common in many parts of Western Canada. the USA and Canada (McNeal and Balistrieri,1989). On such soils plants may have adequate or deficient levels of selenium. In soils with very low selenium levels the plants produced are likely to be selenium deficient and the more acid soil the more likely the deficiency. Selenium deficiency occurs in almost all areas of the Pacific Northwest. Map of Selenium Status in Canada and the U.S. Legend: Cross-hatched Areas: Low - Approximately 80% of all forage and grain contain <0.10 ppm selenium ... there is a growing body of research that indicates humans are becoming selenium deficient. Selenium is part of glutathione peroxidase, which prevents white muscle disease. Insufficient selenium intake has been estimated to affect up to 1 billion people worldwide. Selenium content can be confirmed with testing, as you’ve done previously. Deficiency signs for selenium in animals include vascular changes, poor growth and reproductive failure. referred to as "seleniferous" soils. This lack of selenium in the soil can even affect livestock. This national scale web map displays the distribution and areal extent of soil attributes such as drainage, kind of material and classification of soils in terms of Soil Order and Great Group. Nov 24, 2005. The coastal and Northern areas have low concentrations while the Midwest generally has adequate levels in the soil. Grains from soils deficient in selenium, or selenium antagonists in mixed feeds, can result in feeds low in selenium. For example, clinical white muscle disease which responds to selenium has been seen in young lambs born to ewes that had been fed on wheat for most of their pregnancy. 1 … Consequently forages harvested from those areas will result in selenium deficiency in horses that consume them. 3. Also, people dependent on food grown from selenium-deficient soil are at risk. Based on this knowledge, geological maps have proved to be useful guides in locating seleniferous areas in Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, and Canada. The normal daily dietary intake of selenium is 0.01 to 0.04 parts per million (ppm), which is similar to the typical content of soil … The Soil Landscapes of Canada provides information about the country's agricultural soils. Data from Yara Analytical Services 2015-2020. Finding a low-selenium hay, one grown in an area known to have deficient to low soil selenium levels, might be best. Selenium Deficiency Exacerbates COX-2 Expression via Increased Levels of pI␬B␣ Leading to the Activation of NF-␬B— Stimulation of selenium-deficient RAW264.7 and BMDM cells FIGURE 3. Pastures with high clover content. Usually, rainy areas are also deficient as soil salts leach out in heavy rains. Data from Yara Analytical Services 2015-2020. Selenium is thought of as a trace or micro mineral in beef cattle diets. Alternatively, soil selenium may exist in a form that is either unavailable to plants or absorbed by them with difficulty. Amending soils with Se-hyperaccumulator plant derived sources of selenium (Se) may be useful for increasing the Se content in food crops in Se-deficient regions of the world. Climate change could increase the risk of the human diet being deficient in a vital mineral, selenium – a deficiency which could contribute to problems such as poor immune function, impaired thyroid function and heart muscle issues, research has found. It is a nonmetal (more rarely considered a metalloid) with properties that are intermediate between the elements above and below in the periodic table, sulfur and tellurium, and also has similarities to arsenic.It rarely occurs in its elemental state or as pure ore compounds in the Earth's crust. Selenium also helps to regulate the action of thyroid hormones. Variability of selenium levels is not so marked in animal foods. Selenium. Selenium is an essential trace element for all animals and humans. Bill Thompson entered the Earth Clinic community years ago as one of the walking unwell but has emerged not only wholly well but furthermore as an expert in alternative therapies. For instance, soil Zn deficiency is widespread in India --- 48 percent of soil samples and 44 percent of plants samples collected in states across India were Zn deficient, with soil deficiency rates much higher in particular districts, as shown in the map below. A deficiency of selenium in an area of China has resulted in an endemic form of cardiomyopathy, called Keshan disease. I’ll never forget when I first started researching the concept of orthomolecular medicine, which focuses on treating illness by looking at deficiencies of nutrients/minerals rather than the pharmaceutical model of suppressing or changing biological processes with chemical compounds. As a result of climate change, concentrations of the trace element selenium in soils are likely to decrease. Deficiency is made worse by high superphosphate application and clover dominance; lush feed situations; young growing stock. Selenium Selenium is a trace mineral essential to good health. The exact mechanisms for the positive health effects of selenium supplementation as an adjunct to anti-retrovirus therapy are not known. People living in those regions generally have the highest selenium intakes in the United States. In general, total soil Se content of 0.1 to 0.6 mg kg-1 is considered deficient. Salt iodisation is insufficient to ensure global iodine adequacy, with an estimated one-third of humanity at risk of hypothyroidism and associated iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Selenium in Counties of the Conterminous States (Hold the mouse over a county to view the concentration of the element; click on a county to retrieve all geochemical data within the county.) So, once again, it comes down to watching your goats for signs of deficiency. Selenium intake of Finns increased from 25 µg/day up to 110 µg/day over 10 years through soil fertilization with sodium selenate (Tinggi, 2003). Key Words: Selenium, Beef, Soil. C 115. (1995) found that 90 percent of soils from Tipperarystud … Russia and China have large areas of selenium-poor soil. Selenium in Counties of the Southeastern US. The absence of selenium correlates with loss of GSH-Px activity and is associated with damage to cell membranes due to accumulation of free radicals. Map of Selenium Status in Canada and the U.S. Legend: Cross-hatched Areas: Low - Approximately 80% of all forage and grain contain <0.10 ppm selenium ... there is a growing body of research that indicates humans are becoming selenium deficient. Selenium deficiency regions in New Zealand, Denmark and the Atlantic Region of Canada … Free radicals are normal by-products of metabolism, but they can cause cellular damage. This sulfur-like mineral (pronounced suh-LEE-nee-um) is an antioxidant that apparently helps to prevent cancer and hypertension. The current soil database of Ontario is based upon a set of 44 soil reports, and their accompanying maps for Southern Ontario, and a further 12 areas of soil mapping for Northern Ontario. Selenium deficiency promoted by climate change. Selenium is a mineral found in the soil. In line with results from selenium content in crops, nine among the top 10 cities with the highest CFRs were selenium deficient, including six severe-selenium-deficient regions and three moderate-selenium-deficient regions (Table 1).. For example, under selenium deficiency the activity of thyroid related function can decrease by 99 percent in your liver, kidneys, and muscles while only dropping by 50 percent in your thyroid gland and brain. Vitamin E/Selenium Deficiency. Selenium in soil is found in two forms: sele­ nate and selenite. Soils west of the Rocky Mountains in North America are generally deficient in selenium. Selenium deficiency occurs in almost all areas of the Pacific Northwest. Vitamin E concentrations in hay also decrease rapidly after harvest. Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): United States soil selenium levels2. Selenium is important to all living creatures. Areas east of the Mississippi River and in the northwestern USA appear to be low in selenium. The low-selenium soils of Canada occur in the interior of British Columbia, in west-central Alberta, in northern Ontario, in the eastern townships and lower St. Lawrence re- gions of Quebec, and in the Atlantic provinces (Levesque, 1974~. Detailed Canadian Soil Maps Approximately 20% of Canada (mainly in agricultural areas). Regarding selenium in foods, it depends greatly on the amount of selenium in the soil. Additionally, selenium deficiency might play a role in male infertility and could exacerbate iodine deficiency. The selenium levels in Kentucky soils can be found on this U.S. Geological Survey map. RUSSIA AND CHINA, THE LESS SPIRITUAL NATIONS, ARE DEFICIENT IN SELENIUM . Plants grown on this type of soil are likely to be Se-deficient. Selenium can also occur in limestones or sandstones (Fleming 1980). "In the United States, selenium deficiency is typically a bigger problem than selenium toxicity," says ARS soil scientist Gary S. Bañuelos. Soil acidity is an important factor resulting in decreased Se availability to crops. Selenium deficiency can cause Keshan disease (a type of heart disease) and male infertility. The Great Plains of the US and Canada are rich sources of selenium, whereas the soils of the northeast, northwest, and Florida have lower selenium content. In soils with very low selenium levels the plants produced are likely to be selenium deficient and the more acid soil the more likely the deficiency. Deficiency Main article: Selenium deficiency. Insufficient selenium intake has been estimated to affect up to 1 billion people worldwide. Because the selenium content of crops may also be reduced, the risk of selenium deficiency could be increased in many regions of the world. Because selenium levels can vary greatly within an area, testing the soil's selenium content is recommended. A new study finds that climate change is lowering the amount of selenium in agricultural soils… The first thing to consider is whether your hay and grain comes from a selenium-deficient area. Selenate is said to be the most common form of selenium in the state due to the chemical properties of soils in the western portion of the state. In other areas—the Midwest for example—selenium is deficient in the soil, and without proper supplementation horses can have significant problems. Selenium is used in the manufacture of batteries, glass, and electronic equip-ment, and as a reagent in remedies for eczema, fungus infections, antidan-druff products, veterinary therapeutic agents, injectables, feed additives, and fertilizers. Worldwide, between 500 million and 1 billion people have selenium deficiency (Shreenath, 2019). Selenium (Se) was demonstrated to be nutritionally essential in 1957 (Schwartz and Foltz, 1957). Among essential nutrients Selenium is shown to be deficient in many countries worldwide. A selenium soil concentration map (right) can help you evaluate the risk in your area. It can occur in patients with severely compromised intestinal function, those undergoing total parenteral nutrition, and in those of advanced age (over 90). Many soils are deficient in selenium – especially those where horses and livestock are grazed- and the resulting pastures are usually selenium deficient. In fact, shortfalls are much more common today than they were 50 years ago, due to modern farming practices, which deplete the soil of important minerals. The trace element selenium (Se) only occurs … Usually, rainy areas are also deficient as soil salts leach out in heavy rains. When selenium runs low, your body has tough choices. A Google search will also bring up maps of selenium-deficient areas in the USA. Because selenium levels can vary greatly within an area, testing the soil's selenium content is recommended. Soil is considered "selenium deficient" when there is less than 0.5mg of selenium per kg of soil. It's usually used to prevent/treat "white muscle disease" aka selenium deficiency (sp) in calves. The content of selenium in food depends on the selenium content of the soil where plants are grown or animals are raised. Plants growing in those soils will absorb selenium from the soil in the form of selenite (SeO 3) and selenate (SeO 4). Selenium is an essential trace mineral that is required in very minute amounts by all animals, including pigs. Russia and China have large areas of selenium-poor soil. The marginal selenium areas (figure 4.1) have been Regarding selenium in foods, it depends greatly on the amount of selenium in the soil. Soil Selenium Deficiency Map(US/Canada) Sea Salt for Skin Problems Caused by Bromide Dominance in the Body Iodine Research-----About the Author. Selenium and vitamin E are essential in sheep diets, and work together to prevent and repair cell damage in the body. Cattle consume selenium with the plants they eat. Certain soils in the U.S. and Canada are low in selenium, including the north central and eastern regions of Canada and the northeastern, Pacific, southwestern, and extreme southeastern regions of the U.S (see figure). Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element of high importance for human health and particularly for a well-balanced immune response. 88% of grassland soils are below guideline level for selenium. 1 … The trace element selenium is essential for human health and is required in a narrow dietary concentration range. The digital soils data was automated from soil survey reports and maps that were produced over the past few decades. The Soil Landscapes of Canada provides information about the country's agricultural soils. Selenium deficiency can be caused by grazing on selenium-deficient soil, for example, acidic soils in areas of high rainfall, sandy soils in coastal regions, and granite soils, as well as areas with high levels of clover growth and in lush pastures that grow quickly. Sheep, goats, and cattle who eat a diet with selenium and vitamin E deficiency may develop a condition called white muscle disease in which the muscles degenerate from oxidative damage.