Clarifying the interplay between host and gut microbiota in selenium metabolism

Article excerpt

Selenium, a trace mineral in seafood, meat, and whole grains, occupies a precarious nutritional sweet spot. Too little weakens immunity; too much raises the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. New research clarifies how the body and its gut microbiota work together to regulate selenium metabolism, navigating the narrow window between deficiency and toxicity that makes this mineral uniquely challenging among nutrients.