What is Keshan's Disease - Health Conditions

What is Keshan's Disease?

What is Keshan's disease?

Keshan's disease is a condition which occurs when there is a deficiency of selenium intake. It is named for the region in China where it was first discovered in the children and young women of the area, where the soil is deficient in selenium (normal soil contains adequate amounts of selenium so normally prevents this condition from occurring).

Keshan's disease causes an abnormality of the heart muscles that causes it to function abnormally. Many children and young women in China (not just in the Keshan region) died because of the lack of selenium causing this condition.

Normally selenium intake protects against developing Keshan's disease, but it cannot reverse damage to the heart muscle once it occurs., although some studies do show that once selenium supplementation occurs, the damage can be reversed in some people, depending on how far the condition has progressed and how damaged the heart muscle has become.

Facts about Keshan's disease

Ensure to get enough selenium in your diet to prevent deficiency
A regular blood test can determine if deficiency of any nutrient, especially if there are any symptoms associated with deficiency
Children and young adults should especially get adequate intake of selenium in the diet
Brazil nuts are high in selenium that is easily absorbed by the body
Hazelnuts are high in selenium that is easily absorbed by the body
Selenomethionine is more bioavailable (easily absorbed) by the body than selenium selenite, so it is the preferable supplement type
Some experts believe that a virus is at least partly responsible for the cause of Keshan's disease
Some studies show that selenium supplementation can reverse damage to the heart muscle in some people with Keshan's disease

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Last reviewed: 29 January 2009 || Last updated: 29 December 2009

Arrhythmia (glossary)
Arrhythmia (health conditions)
Fever (conditions)
Fever (glossary)
Immune system (glossary)
Selenium (minerals)

NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.

Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.

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