Selenium-rich lentils and arsenic poisoning in people in Bangladesh
What it found
Eating selenium-rich lentils helped people exposed to arsenic clear more of it in their urine.
They also gained more weight and had fewer asthma and allergy problems.
What they found
Studies in people
Arsenic leaving the body
People eating the selenium-rich lentils passed out more arsenic in their urine than the control group. At six months they also excreted more of an arsenic breakdown product called dimethylarsinic acid.
Body weight changes
The group eating selenium-rich lentils saw a rise in their body mass index compared to the control group.
Asthma and allergies
Fewer people in the selenium-rich lentil group reported asthma or allergy symptoms during the trial compared to those eating regular lentils.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that eating selenium-rich lentils helps the body get rid of arsenic.
- They say this diet improved health markers even while people were still being exposed to arsenic.
How it was done
Long-term exposure to arsenic is a major health threat affecting over 100 million people worldwide. Low blood selenium levels make arsenic-related health problems more likely.
Researchers ran a trial with 405 people in Bangladesh who were chronically exposed to arsenic. One group ate lentils rich in selenium, providing 55 μg of selenium per day. The other group ate similar lentils with very little selenium, just 1.5 μg per day, for six months.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial lasted six months, so it cannot show what happens if people eat these lentils for years.
- The study only looked at people already exposed to arsenic, so the results may not apply to everyone else.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Calgary, Canada; University of Saskatchewan, Canada
The paper
- Title
- Food as medicine: Selenium enriched lentils offer relief against chronic arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Smits JE, Krohn RM, Akhtar E, et al (2019). Food as medicine: Selenium enriched lentils offer relief against chronic arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh. Environmental research. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2019.108561PubMed 31299617DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error