Selenium is an integral part of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which protects cells against oxidative damage by peroxide.
Selenium deficiency is closely related to that of vitamin E and adequate amounts of one of the nutrients can in part compensate for a lack of the other.
A selenium deficiency which is geographically distributed rather like the endemic area of Kashin-Beck disease was considered as a serious hypothesis of Kashin-Beck disease etiology.
Some experiments on mice revealed that a selenium deficient diet induced degeneration of the articular cartilage in the knee joints; and development of fibrocartilage at the articular surface of knee joints resembling the early stages of osteoarthritis.
Kashin-Beck disease happened to young people up to the age of 20 leading to painful swelling of joints. Selenium deficiency appears to be a causative factor, but low iodine intake and toxins or contaminants in food, coupled with a poor and unvaried diet probably contribute to this disease.
Kashin-Beck disease
