Toenail selenium as an indicator of selenium intake among middle-aged men in an area with low soil selenium

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Abstract
Toenail selenium concentration has been proposed as a long-term (6–12 mo) indicator of human selenium status. This study investigated the association between toenail selenium concentration and selenium intake and other dietary factors among 166 urban men aged 55–69 y. The dietary information was collected by food records covering a 6-mo period. Toenail clippings were collected by mail 9–10 mo after food recording. The mean selenium intake from food was 42.5 µg/d and the dietary intake was equal to that of users and nonusers of selenium supplements. The mean toenail selenium concentration was 0.47 mg/kg. The mean selenium intake from supplements was 29.7 µg/d among supplement users. In the analysis of covariance the best predictors of toenail selenium concentration were selenium intake from supplements and food, and among supplement users dietary β-carotene also.