[Evaluation of selenium consumption by Mongolian residents]

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Human Health
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Selenium is an essential trace element crucial for human health.
• Mongolia faces potential selenium deficiency risks due to its geography and lack of environmental data.
• Previous studies indicated selenium deficiency diseases in Mongolian livestock.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess selenium consumption levels in Mongolian adults across different provinces.
• To identify the primary sources of dietary selenium in Mongolia.
• To develop strategies for optimizing selenium status through supplementation.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of selenium content in various foodstuffs (meat, wheat, eggs) from different Mongolian provinces.
• Estimation of daily selenium intake for adult males and females.
• Identification of potential natural selenium-rich sources for supplementation.

Main Results:

• Detected inadequate selenium content in staple foods, leading to low dietary intake (males: 41.8±4.9 μg/day, females: 34.1±3.1 μg/day).
• Meat (beef, mutton, horseflesh, goat) and wheat showed low to moderate selenium levels, except for exceptional horseflesh samples from Gov-Altai.
• Eggs contained low selenium (6.7-7.8 μg/egg).

Conclusions:

• Selenium deficiency in Mongolia is linked to low selenium levels in native foodstuffs.
• Supplementation with Astragalus Mongolicus and Tricholoma Mongolicum mushrooms is recommended for selenium status optimization.
• These natural sources show high potential for correcting selenium deficiency in the Mongolian population.