Selenium: Are You Getting Enough to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer? [Paperback]

Edgar Drake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 2001

In this timely, fact-intensive book, the author interprets 30 years of peer-reviewed scientific and medical research, including five human clinical trials in the United States and China, which convincingly demonstrate that taking a daily supplement of the essential mineral selenium, with no other changes in lifestyle, can reduce total cancer incidence in at-risk human populations by approximately 37%. With documentation from the literature, the author establishes that selenium is non-uniformly distributed in the United States, has powerful anticancer properties, naturally occurs in several chemical forms that produce different metabolic products differing in their cancer-preventive potency, causes premalignant and malignant cells to commit suicide, is affected by supplements of other nutrients, and stimulates the immune system.The book also details all the information needed for safe and effective dietary selenium supplementation, including important facts about commercial supplements. Many multivitamin and antioxidant formulas either contain nutrients that can abolish the cancer-preventive effectiveness of selenium, or they contain too little selenium to impact materially anyones cancer risk. These and other relevant facts are essential to making an informed choice among the intimidating array of available products.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edgar N. Drake is Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Emeritus at Angelo State University. He has presented lectures on cancer prevention with dietary selenium supplementation to government and professional organizations, including the Cancer Prevention Council of Maryland, the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association, and the North American Nutrition and Preventive Medicine Association.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: IUniverse (June 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595180663
• ISBN-13: 978-0595180660
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #971,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Selenium can significantly reduce the risk of cancer., August 18, 2002

By 

D. R. Schryer (Poquoson, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Selenium: Are You Getting Enough to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer? (Paperback)

A few years ago the results of a large double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of selenium supplementation was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The multi-year study showed that people given 200 micrograms of supplemental selenium daily had only HALF the death rate from cancer as people who were given a placebo instead of selenium. No harmful side effects were observed. Has your doctor told you about this study or recommended that you take supplemental selenium to reduce your risk of cancer? I doubt it. He or she may well be unaware of this study; or, if aware, has dismissed it because it involved a simple, readily-available nutrient rather than a new wonder drug. But, if any pharmaceutical drug were available which cut the cancer death rate in half with no harmful side effects -- and none currently is -- you would see ads for it plastered on TV and magazines and your doctor would readily prescribe it for you. So if you want to reduce your risk of cancer with selenium you're probably not going to get the information you need from your doctor. However, you can get it from this book. By the way, perhaps your doctor or a friend may tell you that selenium is toxic. It is in large doses, but it is quite safe in the 200 microgram dosage used in the JAMA study which, as noted above, found no harmful side effects. Cancer is a disease that we all dread, but now you have the power to significantly reduce your risk. Please supply yourself with the information you need to do so.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on selenium EVER!, April 23, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Selenium: Are You Getting Enough to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer? (Paperback)

This book goes into great detail over this essential trace mineral called selenium. I've bought other books on selenium and this is by far the most detailed, yet it is still very easy to read. I couldn't put this book down once I got it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Informative!!, October 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Selenium: Are You Getting Enough to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer? (Paperback)

This book covered it all! It was thorough, informative, and very well researched. Most importantly, it was easy to read and understand. Like most people, I was misinformed about the power of this supplement, and how it could benefit me. Thanks to Dr. Drake, my family and I now understand how to use selenium to minimize our risk of various cancers.