Selenium levels in breast milk and cow's milk: a preliminary report from Saudi Arabia.

We measured the selenium in 117 milk samples by means of inductively coupled plasma spectrometry with the hydride t-system. The samples were collected from healthy lactating mothers living in the Al-Kharj area in Saudi Arabia and from seven brands of Saudi fresh cow's milk. The concentration of selenium in breast milk significantly decreases toward the end of lactation. Our results also showed that the selenium concentration in breast milk is also influenced by the number of breast feedings per day. Further studies are needed to evaluate the selenium status in Saudi infants. The selenium concentration in local cow's milk samples was significantly higher than in the breast milk samples.