Colonization of the gastrointestinal tract and composition of the microbiota (good bacteria) may be influenced by components of the diet, including trace elements such as selenium.
Researchers showed that when conventionalized germ-free mice were treated with selenium diets, there was an increased diversity of the bacterial population in animals fed with higher levels of selenium. The data show that dietary selenium affects both composition of the intestinal microflora and colonization of the gastrointestinal tract, which, in turn, influence the host selenium status. So if you are taking a probiotic or thinking or taking one, make sure to take a multivitamin formula that contains selenium with it.
http://www.fasebj.org/content/25/7/2492.abstract
