The importance of the trace metal selenium in health and disease is frequently over- and underemphasized. In the form of selenocysteine, it takes part in redox processes as an electron donor and indirectly regulates thioreduxin reductase activity. This enzyme is involved in the regulation of transcription factors and signal transduction; in a roundabout way, that is the basic explanation of the largely hypothetic role of selenium. Although nutritionists persevere in claiming the existence of selenium deficiency, it is still unproven that this constitutes a risk for any disease at all.
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