Selenium [1] was the darling supplement of the 1980s, believed to prevent and possibly treat heart disease. The claims were based on a study that found that countries with the highest rate of disease were usually lacking in the trace element.

Selenium carried the reputation of super supplement through the '80s and '90s, but a study published last month in The American Journal of Epidemiology [2] has revealed that when it comes to heart health, selenium was never all it was cracked up to be.

The study involved 1,000 American adults who were followed for seven and a half years as they either took 200 micrograms of selenium a day or a placebo. Researchers studied the participants' blood samples and medical records and found some surprising news: selenium had no effect on developing heart disease.

Selenium may be developing a different reputation. While the supplement does nothing for heart disease, it has been linked to a lower risk of colorectal, prostate, and lung cancer.

[via New York Times [3]]