Research on the Mineral Selenium
The following articles are presented as a reflection for
the use of ionic minerals selenium as a dietary supplement and nutritional supplement. You
will find more on selenium here. You can also
purchase this diet supplement below.
Nutrition Research (USA), 1996, 16/3 (505-516)
Combined (internal plus external) radiation exposure of the
population and emergency workers, as a result of the Chernobyl accident, increased the
oncogenic risk, and to reduce it is a problem of the utmost importance. A long-term
experiment in 400 rats exposed to radiation following the Chernobyl pattern showed that a selenium-enriched diet started after exposure caused a longer
average lifespan and a 1.5 - 3.5 fold decrease of leukaemias and other malignancies, e.g.
breast, thyroid and lung cancers, etc., at late times. Selenium was first demonstrated to
provide protection against late effects which is equivalent to a whole-body dose reduction
by 1.4 Sv (140 rem). The dietary levels of selenium used were
above those accepted as physiological but considerably below toxic ones (10, 30 and 100
microg Se/day per capita).
Biochemical Pharmacology (USA), 1997, 53/7 (921-926)
The effects of two types of selenium
compounds on the expression levels of growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible (gadd) genes
and on selected cell death genes were examined in mouse mammary MOD cells to test the
hypothesis that the diversity of selenium-induced cellular
responses to these compounds could be distinguished by unique gene expression patterns.
Whereas the expression patterns of known cell death-related genes (bcl-2 and bax) were not
informative with respect to the cellular response patterns upon exposure to selenium compounds, time-dependent and selenium
species-specific induction patterns were observed for gadd34, gadd45 and gadd153 genes. It
was also observed that the MOD cells expressed a truncated p53 transcript but no
detectable immunoreactive P53 protein, indicating a null p53 phenotype. The fact that selenium compounds induced growth arrest and death of these cells
and that these compounds induced specific patterns of expression of gadd genes indicates
that these genes may mediate some selenium-induced cellular
responses. The findings further imply that selenium compounds
may be effective chemopreventive agents for human breast carcinogenesis, in which p53
mutations are frequent.
Japanese Journal of Thoracic Diseases (Japan), 1996, 34/12
(1406-1410)
We encountered three patients with chronic respiratory
failure who had heart failure of cardiac arrhythmias and low levels of serum selenium. All three had tracheostomies and had received long-term
parenteral nutrition that had not included selenium. All
three also had refractory cardiac dysfunction, which was manifested in edema, heart
failure, and various tachycardias. We suspected that selenium
deficiency had caused their cardiac dysfunction. Serum selenium
concentrations were found to be much lower than normal in all three, so 100 microg/day of selenium was administered in addition to their tube feedings.
Cardiac function improved after replacement of selenium.
These cases show the need for preventing selenium deficiency
in patients with chronic respiratory failure during long-term administration of parenteral
nutrition.
J Am Coll Nutr (UNITED STATES) Oct 1994, 13 (5) p496-8
OBJECTIVE: The following review of the literature on the
importance of Selenium (Se) in myocardial homeostasis and of the pharmacology of this
trace metal, represents an attempt to search, without prejudice to other possible
explanations, for a rationale of a beneficial effect of Se substitution as an adjuvant to
antiarrhythmic therapy. background: For several years, in the early 1980s, I had to deal
with the problem of a serious ventricular arrhythmia (non-sustained and sustained
ventricular tachycardia) which was remarkably resistant to a battery of the most potent
antiarrhythmic agents. Eventually, dramatic improvement, lasting for a period of 8 years,
was achieved with Flecainide, which, however, left unsolved the episodic occurrence of
disabling ventricular bigemini. Over the most recent period of 1 year and 8 months, there
was a sudden and unexplained return to unbroken normal sinus rhythm. Among the
multiplicity of possible reasons for this fortunate development, the concurrent
introduction of Se substitution appeared as the most obvious, though very tentative
explanation. Substitution of this trace metal preceded the extinction of ventricular
bigemini by 1 week and actually represented the sole modification of otherwise reasonably
standardized conditions of antiarrhythmic therapy, life style and diet. (25 Refs.)
Med Hypotheses (ENGLAND) Oct 1981, 7 (10) p1287-1302
The preventive merits of "nutritional insurance"
supplementation can be considerably broadened if meaningful doses of nutrients such as
mitochondrial "metavitamins" (coenzyme Q, lipoic acid, carnitine), lipotropes,
and key essential fatty acids, are included in insurance supplements. From the standpoint
of cardiovascular protection, these nutrients, as well as magnesium, selenium,
and GTF-chromium, appear to have particular value. Sophisticated insurance supplementation
would likely have a favorable impact on many parameters which govern cardiovascular
risk--serum lipid profiles, blood pressure, platelet stability, glucose tolerance,
bioenergetics, action potential regulation--and as a life-long preventive health strategy
might confer substantial benefit. (111 Refs.)
Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy (USA), 1996, 10/5
(567-571)
Oxidation of low density lipoprotein is involved in the
pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Epidemiological studies suggest a negative correlation
between the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases and blood concentrations of lipophilic
antioxidants such as vitamins A and E and beta-carotene. Trace elements, such enzymes as
glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. The aim of this study was to determine
the antioxidant and trace element status of patients with severe hypercholesterolemia who
had been treated with dextran-sulphate low-density lipoprotein apheresis in comparison
with two control populations, normocholesterolemic subjects and untreated
hypercholesterolemic patients. Our results showed that, patients treated with LDL
apheresis, compared with normocholesteromic subjects, were not deficient in vitamin E,
beta-carotene, and copper, but had low plasma levels of selenium,
zinc, and vitamin A. The low selenium and vitamin A levels
were due to the LDL apheresis treatment, and the hypercholesterolemia might have provoked
the low plasma levels of zinc.This study pointed out the potential benefits of
supplemental selenium, zinc, and vitamin A in patients being
treated with LDL apheresis.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Ophthalmology
(Australia), 1995, 23/1
Evidence is accumulating that most of the degenerative
diseases that afflict humanity have their origin in deleterious free radical reactions.
These diseases include atherosclerosis, cancer, inflammatory joint disease, asthma,
diabetes, senile dementia and degenerative eye disease. The process of biological aging
might also have a free radical basis. Most free radical damage to cells involves oxygen
free radicals or, more generally, activated oxygen species (AOS) which include non-radical
species such as singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide as well as free radicals. The AOS can
damage genetic material, cause lipid peroxidation in cell membranes, and inactivate
membrane-bound enzymes. Humans are well endowed with antioxidant defences against AOS;
these antioxidants, or free radical scavengers, include ascorbic acid (vitamin C),
alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), beta-carotene, coenzyme Q10, enzymes such as catalase and
superoxide dismutase, and trace elements including selenium
and zinc. The eye is an organ with intense AOS activity, and it requires high levels of
antioxidants to protect its unsaturated fatty acids. The human species is not genetically
adapted to survive past middle age, and it appears that antioxidant supplementation of our
diet is needed to ensure a more healthy elderly population.
AKTUEL. ERNAHR.MED. KLIN. PRAX. (Germany), 1994, 19/3
(155-159)
The role of antioxidative vitamins in the therapy of
diabetes mellitus is of growing importance. The development of diabetic late complications
(cataract, retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy and others) is associated with an
increased presence of free radicals, and therefore, elevated oxidative stress of the human
body. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of the vitamin and selenium status of diabetics. Thirty-eight patients of the age of
35-58 years had been diabetics for 8-27 years and their plasma concentration of
haemoglobin was 6.7-7.5%. The diabetics of type I were treated with a functional insulin
therapy with dietary restrictions, whereas the type II diabetics received oral
antidiabetica (sulfonyl urea, biguanids) and had to comply with a fixed diet. Any
supplementation of vitamins was omitted. The nutritional intake was monitored by a weighed
record over 7 days. The plasma concentrations of vitamin A, beta-carotene, K and E were
determined by reversed-phase-PLC. For the assessment of vitamin C concentrations, a
photometric method was used, and selenium concentrations was
determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Mean values of plasma
concentrations were: vitamin A 36-50 microg/dl, beta-carotene 35-42 microg/dl, vitamin K:
0.5-0.6 ng/ml, vitamin E: 1.1-1.6 mg/dl, selenium: 72-75
microg/l. The values of vitamin C concentration of the diabetics type I without late
complications and of type II diabetics were at 0.8 mg/dl and, therefore, at the
borderline. Diabetics of type I with late complications showed marginal values of 0.6 plus
or minus 0.3 mg/dl. The critical value for the prevention of scorbut has been fixed at 0.4
mg/dl. The results of this confirm the importance and efficiency of vitamins, especially
of ascorbic acid. Positive effects of this antioxidative vitamin in respect of the
prevention of diabetic side effects and subsequent disease should therefore be expected.
Stedman J.D.; Spyrou N.M.; Millar A.D.; Altaf W.J.; Akanle
O.A.; Rampton D.S.
J.D. Stedman, Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2-5XH
United Kingdom
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry (Hungary) , 1997, 217/2 (189-191)
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD) in which there is recurrent inflammation of the mucous membranes of the
colon. Inflammation is accompanied by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS)
including, amongst others, hydrogen peroxide. Selenium in the form of the selenoprotein
glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) acts as a catalyst in the reaction which reduces hydrogen
peroxide to watch. It may therefore beneficial to supplement the diets of patients who
suffer from UC with selenium. In this preliminary study nine
patients suffering from moderate UC were supplemented with selenium-beta
tablets (300 microg Se per tablet) twice daily. Blood samples were taken at the start of
the trial and at 1, 2 and 4 week intervals. Freeze-dried serum samples were analysed for
their selenium content using the technique of instrumental
neutron activation analysis (INAA). Samples were also analysed by particle induced X-ray
emission (PIXE) to monitor other trace elements levels. Selenium concentrations were found
to increase during supplementation and iron concentrations to decrease. Stool frequency
was also found to improve suggesting that ROS may be important in the pathogenesis of UC.
Cancer Res. 1994 Apr 1. 54(7 Suppl). P 2029s-2031s
In Linxian China, the esophageal/gastric cardia cancer
mortality rates are among the highest in the world. There is suspicion that the
population's chronic deficiencies of multiple micronutrients are etiologically involved.
We conducted two randomized, placebo-controlled nutrition intervention trials to test the
effects of vitamin and mineral supplements in lowering the rates of esophageal/gastric
cancer. In the first trial, the dysplasia trial, 3318 adults with a cytological diagnosis
of esophageal dysplasia received daily supplementation with 26 vitamins and minerals in
doses typically 2-3 times the United States Recommended Daily Allowances, or placebos, for
6 years. The second trial, the general population trial, involved 29,584 adults and used a
one-half replicate of a 2(4) factorial experimental design which tested the effects of
four combinations of nutrients: A, retinol and zinc; B, riboflavin and niacin; C, vitamin
C and molybdenum; and D, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium.
Doses for these daily supplements ranged from 1 to 2 times the United States Recommended
Daily Allowances, and the different vitamin/mineral combinations or placebos were taken
for a period of 5.25 years. As part of the general population trial, and
end-of-intervention endoscopy survey was carried out in a small (1.3%) sample of subjects
to see if supplementation affected the prevalence of dysplasia and early cancer. Herein we
review the methods of these trials and the results of the endoscopic survey. Fifteen
esophageal and 16 gastric cancers were identified in endoscopic biopsies from the 391
subjects evaluated from two villages, and nearly all were asymptomatic. No significant
reductions in the prevalence of esophageal or gastric dysplasia or cancer were seen with
any of the four supplement groups. However, the prevalence of gastric cancer among
participants receiving retinol and zinc was 62% lower than those not receiving those
supplements (P = 0.09), while participants receiving beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium had a 42% reduction in esophageal cancer prevalence
(0.34). We have reported separately that cancer mortality over the entire 5.25-year period
was significantly reduced among those receiving beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium. The findings from the overall trial and the endoscopic
sample offer a hopeful sign and should encourage additional studies with these agents in
larger numbers of subjects.
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