Gut microbiota: a new perspective for bioavailability of selenium and human health.

The gut microbiota can metabolise and transform selenium, and even compete with the host for it. This provides new insights into the bioavailability of selenium and the mechanisms through which it exerts its beneficial effects. This review provides a comprehensive summary of selenium metabolism and bioavailability, along with the relationship between selenium, the gut microbiota and some diseases. This may lay the groundwork for its application as a functional food.