Serum selenium concentration is associated with metabolic factors in the elderly: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundSelenium is an essential micronutrient known for its antioxidant function. However, the association of serum selenium with lipid profiles and fasting glucose are inconsistent in populations with average intake of selenium. Furthermore, there were few studies conducted specifically for the elderly. This study examined the relationship of serum selenium concentration with serum lipids and fasting glucose in the Taiwanese elderly population.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study of 200 males and females aged 65-85 years (mean 71.5 ± 4.6 years) from Taipei, Taiwan. Serum selenium was measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. The association between serum selenium and metabolic factors was examined using a multivariate linear regression analysis after controlling several confounders.ResultsThe mean serum selenium concentration was 1.14 μmol/L, without significant difference between sexes. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol increased significantly with serum selenium concentration (P < 0.001, P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) after adjusting for age, gender, anthropometric indices, lifestyle factors, and cardio-vascular risk factors in several linear regression models. Furthermore, there was a significantly positive association between serum selenium and serum fasting glucose concentrations (P < 0.05).ConclusionsTotal cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol, and fasting serum glucose concentrations increased significantly with serum selenium concentration in the Taiwanese elderly. The underlying mechanism warrants further research.

Evaluation of Changes in Levels of Serum Selenium in Diabetic Pateints and in Diabetic Pateints with Cardiovascular Disease

“…Kuen-Cheh Yang [32] repoted that serum selenium concentrations were positively associated with serum concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose this is agreed with this study except glucose, in the two groups serum selenium level was negative associated with glucose level (Table (2) and (3)).…”

“…Results from studies predicting heart disease using serum levels of selenium [22][23][24][25] have bee inconsistent. Serum selenium levels of diabetic patients were reported to be increased [30][31][32] decreased [33,34] or unchanged [35] compared to controls. Swapnil Rajpathak et al [20] have found that levels of selenium are lower among diabetic men with or without CVD than among healthy controls, In this study, by contrast between two groups of diabetic patient there is significant decrease in selenium level in group II(diabetic patients with CVD) than in group I(diabetic patients).…”

“…Positive relationships between serum selenium and total cholesterol concentrations are discussed in several studies of various serum selenium concentrations [2, 19,32,[36][37][38][39][40][41]43]. However, most participants have been young and middle-aged adults.…”

Selenium status and cardiometabolic health: State of the evidence

“…26 Similar findings were also reported in a recent cross-sectional study of elderly people from Taiwan. 27 …”

Selenium and diabetes - evidence from animal studies

“…Although mechanisms for insulin resistance and diabetes are not fully understood, a growing body of evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays an important role in both of their onset and progress [13,14]. While there was a high hope for using antioxidants including Se to prevent and treat diabetes and its complications, a number of recent human trials have actually shown an alarming correlation between high Se intake or body Se status and diabetic risks [15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. Before this revealing, overexpression of GPx1, the "oldest" and most abundant Se-dependent protein, was shown to induce type 2 diabeteslike phenotypes in mice [22][23][24].…”