Hair selenium content during infancy and childhood

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Trace Element Analysis
• Public Health

Background:

• Selenium is an essential trace element crucial for human health.
• Understanding selenium status in vulnerable populations like infants and children is vital.
• Geographical variations in selenium intake can impact nutritional status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine hair selenium concentrations in Libyan infants and children.
• To investigate potential geographical differences in selenium levels between North and South Libya.
• To assess the age-related changes in hair selenium content during early childhood.

Main Methods:

• Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was employed for precise selenium quantification.
• Hair samples were collected from newborns, infants (7-10 months), preschool, and school-aged children.
• Data were analyzed to compare selenium levels across different age groups and geographical regions.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in hair selenium content was observed between young infants from North and South Libya.
• A rapid decrease in hair selenium content was noted from newborns (1071 ng/g) to 7-10 month olds (301 ng/g in North Libya, 557 ng/g in South Libya).
• Preschool children in North Libya had hair selenium levels of 409 ng/g, while school children averaged 464 ng/g.

Conclusions:

• Hair selenium levels in Libyan infants show a significant decline in the first year of life.
• While initial levels in young infants did not differ geographically, later childhood values warrant further investigation.
• These findings provide baseline data for selenium status in Libyan children and highlight the need for continued monitoring.