Unhealthy mineral deficiency Increasingly selenium deficiency due to global warming

Selenium is a trace element that plants take from the earth and we feed ourselves through food. People need selenium: it strengthens the immune system and is necessary to build up proteins. But now the amount of selenium is sinking in the soil, worldwide. The cause is the global warming.

selenium deficiency
If we take in too little selenium, the immune system can no longer work effectively and the body can no longer produce necessary proteins. Heart failure or a diseased heart muscle are possible consequences. For example, cancer risk arises in deficiency symptoms: selenium can protect the liver.

Oxygen, carbon and clay
How much selenium is formed depends, among other things, on the oxygen, carbon and clay in the soil, and also on the pH value. Northern European countries such as Denmark, Finland, Scotland and Germany are low in selenium.

Who takes too little nutrients, risking an increased risk of cancer. Picture: Selenium deficiency can cause cancer. Image: vkuslandia - fotolia

Swiss study
Swiss researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute for Water, Wastewater Treatment and Water Protection now studied the global amount of selenium from 33,241 soil samples taken between 1994 and 2016.

The climate is decisive
They came to the conclusion that the relationship between climate and soil is crucial for the concentration of selenium. Above all, precipitation and evaporation are essential. A lot of rain washes away the soil and thus the selenium.

Wet soils have low oxygen
The equation a lot of rain just as little selenium is not true, because with rain soaked soil contains less oxygen and a lower pH, so some acidity and so the selenium is better bound to the ground.

Where is selenium??
The study found that: Ideal for a high concentration of selenium is low to medium precipitation and a lot of clay in the soil.

The selenium concentration decreases
The study outlines the following scenario: Although global warming increases the concentration of the substance in certain regions of India, China, Australia and Africa. However, worldwide concentration is decreasing.

Selenium loss of nine percent
In about 66% of all agricultural land by the end of this century, the amount of selenium will fall by nine percent. Most severely affected are Europe, South Africa, the West of the USA and the South of South America. Already today, according to the study, one billion people are selenium deficient.

What to do?
The researchers suggest using selenium-containing fertilizers and adding selenium to animal feed. (Dr. Utz Anhalt) 

Source: (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2017; doi: 10.1073 / pnas.1611576114)