Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Dietary intake and urinary excretion of selenium in the Japanese adult population: the INTERMAP Study Japan

Abstract

Objective:

This study is to examine the relationship between dietary selenium intake and 24-h urinary selenium excretion in Japanese population samples participating in the INTERMAP Study.

Methods:

Using highly standardized methods, we assessed individual dietary selenium intake from four 24-h dietary recalls and measured urinary selenium excretion in two timed 24-h urine collections in 1145 Japanese participants (574 men and 571 women) ages 40–59 years in four areas of Japan.

Results:

The medians of dietary selenium intake were 177.5 μg/day in men and 139.8 μg/day in women; the medians of 24-h urinary selenium excretion were 127.9 μg/day in men and 109.4 μg/day in women, that is, urinary excretion was estimated to be 73% of dietary intake in men and 77% in women. Dietary selenium intake was significantly correlated with 24-h urinary selenium excretion (r=0.24 in men, r=0.18 in women; P<0.001). With dietary selenium intake and urinary selenium excretion expressed per kg of body weight, values were similar for men and women (dietary intake, 2.7 μg/kg body weight in men and 2.5 μg/kg body weight in women; urinary excretion, 2.0 μg/kg body weight in men and 2.0 μg/kg body weight in women).

Conclusion:

Dietary intake and 24-h urinary excretion of selenium are related in the Japanese adult population.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alissa EM, Bahijri SM, Ferns GA (2003). The controversy surrounding selenium and cardiovascular disease: a review of the evidence. Med Sci Monit 9, RA9–RA18.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Behne D, Kyriakopoulos A, Meinhold H, Kohrle J (1990). Identification of type I iodothyronine 5′-deiodinase as a selenoenzyme. Biochem Biophys Res Commun J 173, 1143–1149.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dennis B, Stamler J, Buzzard M, Conway R, Elliott P, Moag-Stahlberg A et al. (2003). INTERMAP: the dietary data-process and quality control. J Hum Hypertens 17, 609–622.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkes WC, Alkan FZ, Oehler L (2003). Absorption, distribution and excretion of selenium from beef and rice in healthy North American men. J Nutr 133, 3434–3442.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter DJ, Morris JS, Chute CG, Kushner E, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ et al. (1990). Predictors of selenium concentration in human toenails. Am J Epidemiol 132, 114–122.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kafai MR, Ganji V (2003). Sex, age, geographical location, smoking, and alcohol consumption influence serum selenium concentrations in the USA: third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994. J Trace Elem Med Biol 17, 13–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiremidjian-Schumacher L, Roy M, Wishe HI, Cohen MW, Stotzky G (1996). Supplementation with selenium augments the functions of natural killer and lymphokine-activate killer cells. Biol Trace Elem Res 52, 227–239.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levander OA (1986). The need for measures of selenium status. J Am Coll Toxicol 5, 37–44.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lockitch G (1989). Selenium: clinical significance and analytical concepts. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 27, 483–541.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Longnecker MP, Stram DO, Taylor PR, Levander OA, Howe M, Veillon C et al. (1996). Use of selenium concentration in whole blood, serum, toenail, or urine as a surrogate measure of selenium intake. Epidemiology 7, 384–390.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, Japan (2005). Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese, 2005. Daiich Shuppan Publishing Co., Ltd: Tokyo. (in Japanese).

  • Neve J (1996). Selenium as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. J Cardiovasc Risk 3, 42–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ovaskainen ML, Virtamo J, Alfthan G, Haukka J, Pietinen P, Taylor PR et al. (1993). Toenail selenium as an indicator of selenium intake among middle-aged men in an area with low soil selenium. Am J Clin Nutr 57, 662–665.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rotruck JT, Pope AL, Ganther HE, Swanson AB, Hafeman DG, Hoekstra WG (1973). Selenium: biochemical role as a component of glutathione peroxidase. Science 179, 588–590.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schakel SF, Dennis BH, Wold AC, Conway R, Zhao L, Okuda N et al. (2003). Enhancing data on nutrient composition of foods eaten by participants in the INTERMAP study in China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and United States. J Food Comp Anal 16, 395–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz K, Foltz CM (1957). Selenium as an integral part of factor 3 against dietary necrotic liver degeneration. J Am Chem Soc 79, 3292–3293.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Science and Technology Agency of Japan (1986). Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 4th edn. Printing Bureau, Ministry of Finance: Tokyo (in Japanese).

  • Science and Technology Agency of Japan (1987). The Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol and Vitamin E. Printing Bureau, Ministry of Finance: Tokyo (in Japanese).

  • Science and Technology Agency of Japan (1991). The Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, Minerals. Printing Bureau, Ministry of Finance: Tokyo (in Japanese).

  • Science and Technology Agency of Japan (1992). The Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, Dietary Fiber. Printing Bureau, Ministry of Finance: Tokyo (in Japanese).

  • Shamberger RJ (1986). Selenium metabolism and function. Clin Physiol Biochem 4, 42–49.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stamler J, Elliott P, Chan Q (2003a). INTERMAP appendix tables. J Hum Hypertens 17, 665–775.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stamler J, Elliott P, Dennis B, Dyer AR, Kesteloot H, Liu K et al. (2003b). INTERMAP: background, aims, design, methods, and descriptive statistics (nondietary). J Hum Hypertens 17, 591–608.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki Y, Tanushi S (1993). Table of Trace Element Contents in Japanese Foodstuffs. Daiichi-shuppan: Tokyo. (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson CA, Longnecker MP, Veillon C, Howe SM, Levander OA, Taylor PR et al. (1990). Selenium intake, age, gender, and smoking in relation to indices of selenium status of adults residing in a seleniferous area. Am J Clin Nutr 52, 858–862.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomson CD, Robinson MF (1980). Selenium in human health and disease with emphasis on those aspects peculiar to New Zealand. Am J Clin Nutr 33, 303–323.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van den Brandt PA, Goldbohm RA, vant Veer P, Bode P, Dorrant E, Hermus RJJ et al. (1994). Toenail selenium levels and the risk of breast cancer. Am J Epidemiol 140, 20–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang G, Ghen J, Wen Z, Ge K (1984). The role of selenium in Keshan disease. In: Drapper HH (ed). Advances in Nutritional Research. Plenum Press: New York. pp 203–231.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshita K, Tabata M, Kimura R, Miyashita A, Hayashi K, Sagara T et al. (1998). Relationship between selenium intake and foods intake and nutrients in middle-aged men. Jpn J Nutr Diet 56, 139–148 (in Japanese).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou BF, Stamler J, Dennis B, Moag-Stahlberg A, Okuda N, Robertson C et al. (2003). Nutrient intakes of middle-aged men and women in China, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States in the late 1990s: The INTERMAP Study. J Hum Hypertens 17, 623–630.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the fine collaborative efforts of all INTERMAP staff. A comprehensive listing of colleagues from participating field centers, coordinating centers, Steering and Editorial, and Advisory Committees is given in a reference here (Stamler et al., 2003b). This study was partly supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (no. 090357003) and (C) (no. 13670394) from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan, and by Grant 2-RO1-HL50490 from the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Consortia

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K Miura.

Additional information

Contributors: SY: writing of the paper and data analysis; KM: writing of the paper, data analysis and data collection in Toyama center; KI: design, measurement and quality control of urinary selenium; KY: design and quality control of nutritional survey; HN: study design, principal investigator of Toyama center and writing of the paper; TS: design and quality control of urinary selenium; AO: study design and principal investigator of Aito Town center; KS: study design and principal investigator of Wakayama center; SS: study design and principal investigator of Sapporo center; HU: study design, principal investigator of INTERMAP Japan and writing of the paper; PE: study design; principal investigator of INTERMAP international study and writing of the paper, JS: study design, principal investigator of INTERMAP international study and writing of the paper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yoneyama, S., Miura, K., Itai, K. et al. Dietary intake and urinary excretion of selenium in the Japanese adult population: the INTERMAP Study Japan. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 1187–1193 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602842

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602842

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links