Oxidative stress contributed in aging process and several degenerative diseases. Selenium was an important trace element due to as a component of antioxidants enzymes (selenoproteins), including glutathione peroxidase for protection against free radical.Objective: We aimed to study the correlation between blood selenium level and plasma glutathione peroxidase activity in elderly.Materials and Methods: Cross sectional study was held in 5 elderly communities in south Jakarta. Body mass index, blood selenium level and plasma glutathione peroxidase activity were measured in 95 elderly aged between 60-86 years old. Nonparametric correlation was used for correlation analysis.Results and Discussion: The median of subject’s age was 69 years old (60-86) and for body mass index was 23.57 (13.59-36.05). The median of selenium level among subject was 0.19 (0.023-0.56). The mean of plasma glutathione peroxidase activity was 164.45 U/L ± 68.07. There was no correlation among variables. However, plasma glutathione peroxidase activity decreased with increasing age and body mass index although it was not significant.Conclusion: There was no correlation between blood selenium level and plasma glutathione peroxidase activity. Detection of plasma selenium level is needed to confirm this result.International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Vol. 04 No. 02 April’20 Page : 89-93

Ageing is a process of declining bodily function and a major risk factor of chronic diseases. The declining bodily function in ageing can cause loss of proteostasis (protein homeostasis), which is a balance between protein synthesis, folding, modification and degradation. For the elderly, adequate protein intake is necessary to prevent sarcopenia, frailty, fracture and osteoporosis as well as reduced resistance to infection. However, increasing the protein intake can enhance the risk of oxidized protein formation, loss of proteostasis and degenerative disorder occurrence. On the other hand, several studies show that protein restriction would increase longevity. The aim of this review was to explain the importance of determining the right amount and composition of protein intake for the elderly. Oxidative stress and molecular mechanism of proteostasis loss in ageing cells as well as its suppression pathway by protein restriction are discussed in this review. Keywords: ageing, dietary proteins, mTOR, oxidative stress, proteostasis loss