[Complex study of selenium levels in healthy subjects in Hungary]

Selenium supply of different populations might vary substantially according to the geographical location and eating habits. The authors pioneered in surveying the selenium supply of the Hungarian population in diverse parts of the country. The former was achieved by the study of multiple parameters characteristic of the human body's selenium status. Selenium levels were determined in sera of blood donors and in toe and fingernails of healthy village and city populations. Measurements in sera and in nails were performed by electrothermic atomic absorption spectroscopy and by flourimetric method, respectively. The average selenium concentration in sera was 0.70 micromol/liter, in fingernails was 0.61 mg/kg, in toenails it was 0.56 mg/kg. The average selenium concentration was significantly higher in the south-eastern and significantly lower in the south-western regions of the country compared to the northern countries. Similar regional differences could be observed in the average selenium content of both toe and fingernails. According to the findings, selenium deficiency could be verified even in the majority of persons with the highest selenium levels.