Selenium supplements linked to diabetes in U.S. study

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People who take selenium supplements in the hope of preventing diabetes may actually worsen their odds, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

An unusually well-controlled trial showed that people who took selenium pills raised their risk of diabetes by more than half, compared to similar people taking placebos.

The trial is one of a few surprising studies that have found vitamin and mineral supplements can sometimes do more harm than good.

"I would not advise patients to take selenium supplements greater than those in multiple vitamins," said Dr. Saverio Stranges of Warwick Medical School in Britain, who led the study.

Stranges, formerly of the State University of New York at Buffalo, and colleagues were studying another idea -- whether selenium supplements could prevent skin cancer.

But there was research suggesting the mineral might help prevent diabetes.

The Stranges team looked at 1,202 people taking selenium for the skin cancer trial who did not have diabetes at the beginning of the study.

50 PERCENT GREATER RISK

Half took a 200 microgram selenium supplement and half received a placebo pill for an average of 7.7 years.