The Role of Selenium in Human Nutrition

This chapter is devoted to selenium and its role in organism. Selenium has been proved as an essential element for animals and humans. Perception of its role changed from the toxic toward essential element as in the last decade its importance has been described through its biochemical functions. Selenium can be found in the environmental components such as air, water, soil, as well as in living organisms. Plants have crucial role especially in transformation of inorganic selenium forms into organically bound. The natural source of selenium for plants is usually soil, and from the soil solution, selenium is absorbed and metabolized into organic compounds such as seleno-amino acids which can be used as a building materials for the higher structures, especially selenoproteins. Selenium enrichment of crops has been briefly described with the examples from the practice across the world.