Text Box: SELENIUM STATUS IN NONLACTATING, LACTATING WOMEN AND MILK Se LEVELS IN PLEVEN’S REGION – BULGARIA. EFFECT OF Se SUPPLEMENT ON NURSING MOTHERS Mumdzhiev N.1 P.Guesry2, P.van Dael2, D.Barclay2, P.Kastenmayer2, E. Krafke2, M.Turini2, V, Nedkova1, E. Barsaschka1 High Medical School-Pleven, Bulgaria Selenium /Se/ is an essential microelement acting as an antioxidant. The main Se sources for man are the rich in proteins foods as well as bread from flour with high gluten content. It is known by the literature that the soil of Danube vally in Europe is poor in Se. So wheat, flour and bread produced in the Pleven’s region in Bulgaria are with low content of Se. We found out that Se in wheat was 14.6 μg/kg, in flour – 23.13 μg/kg and in bread- 57.6 μg/kg that is several times less than in wheat, flour and bread in USA and Canada. Se status of Bulgarian nonlactating and lactating women as well as Se content in their brest milk was determined by continuous flow HGAAS and then Se intake of the breast fed infants was calculated. The effect of Se supplement on Se level of nursing mothers and Se content of their milk was also determined. The Se level in blood of 25 nonlactating women was 60,4±9.5µg/l and in blood of 50 lactating women – 51,1±9.2 µg/l. 25 lactating women received placebo /control group/ and 25 received 75 µg Se/day as selenite / experimental group/. Se level in the control group before receiving placebo was 50.2±9,1µg/l and afterthat – 52,2±8.4 µg/l. /p > 0.1/ The Se status in experimental group before Se supplement was 52.3±9,3µg/l and afterthat -71.3±9,7 µg/l / p<0.05/. The infants 2 months of age sucking 750 ml breast milk per day from Se non supplemented mothers received 5.5 µg Se/day that is considerable lower than USA RDA – 10 µg/day. The breast milk of supplemented nursing mothers supplied enough Se for infants – about 10 µg/day Conclusion: The Se intake for the people in the Pleven’s region is poor. The Se supplement of nursing mothers in Pleven as well as in Bulgaria is adwisable 1Chair of Pediatrics, High Medical School – Pleven, Bulgaria. 2NESTLE Research Center, Laisanne, Switzerland 2359