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Selenium (Se)
The importance of selenium
Selenium is a mineral neccessary for many health functions. Most well known are Thyroid function and immune system. It also plays an important role in the conversion of fatty acids. The best bioavailable form is seleniummethionine. It can also be found in brasil nuts. As supplement Rejuvenal uses seleniummethionine in PhytoMatrix and Thyrovus. OmegaMatrix also has some trace amounts of Se.
Selenium and the prevention of prostate and colorectal cancer.
Peters U, Takata Y. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008 Sep 2. [Epub ahead of print] Links
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Prostate and colorectal cancers are among the most common cancers and identifying modifiable risk factors are important steps to reduce the burden of these severe diseases. Results from several but mostly small observational studies as well as the secondary analysis of an intervention trial provide support for a chemopreventive effect of selenium on prostate and colorectal cancers. Results suggest effect modification by gender and smoking, but this interpretation is limited by the statistical power of previous studies.
Several cancer preventive mechanisms have been described and it is likely that selenium acts through multiple pathways. In particular, the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects mediated through activity of selenoenzymes are discussed, given the relevance of oxidative stress and inflammation in these cancers. Genetic variation in selenoenzymes may modify the potential chemopreventive effect of selenium and need to be further investigated. Additional large observational studies using biomarkers of selenium intake and intervention trials, such as the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, will be important to further evaluate the potential chemopreventive effect of selenium. Furthermore, characterization of functional effects of polymorphisms in selenoenzymes is needed.
Selenoproteins.
Lu J, Holmgren A.
Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm 171 77.
Selenium is an essential micronutrient for man and animals. The role of selenium has been largely attributed to its presence in selenoproteins as the 21st amino acid, selenocysteine (Sec, U). Sec is encoded by TGA in DNA. A unique mechanism is used to decode the UGA in mRNA to co-translationally incorporate Sec in the growing polypeptide since there is no free pool of Sec. In the human genome 25 genes for selenoproteins have been identified. Selenoproteins like glutathione peroxidases, thioredoxin reductases or iodothyronine deiodinases are involved in redox reactions and Sec is an active site residue essential for catalytic activity. Selenoproteins have biological functions in oxidoreductions, redox signaling, antioxidant defense, thyroid hormone metabolism, or immune responses. They thus possess a strong correlation with human diseases such as cancer, Keshan disease, virus infections, male infertility, or abnormalities in immune responses and thyroid hormone function.
Clinical and biochemical effects of coenzyme Q(10), vitamin E, and selenium supplementation to psoriasis patients.
Kharaeva Z, Gostova E, De Luca C, Raskovic D, Korkina L. Nutrition. 2009 Mar;25(3):295-302. Epub 2008 Nov 28.
Immunology Department, Medical University, Nal'chik, Russian Federation.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate clinical effects of supplementation with antioxidants to patients with severe erythrodermic (EP) and arthropathic (PsA) forms of psoriasis.
METHODS: Fifty-eight patients were hospitalized, treated by conventional protocols, and randomly assigned to four groups. Groups EP1 and PsA1 were supplemented with coenzyme Q(10) (ubiquinone acetate, 50 mg/d), vitamin E (natural alpha-tocopherol, 50 mg/d), and selenium (aspartate salt, 48 mug/d) dissolved in soy lecithin for 30-35 d. Groups EP2 and PsA2 (placebo) received soy lecithin. Clinical conditions were assessed by severity parameters. Markers of oxidative stress included superoxide production, copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities in the circulating granulocytes, in the affected epidermis, and plasma levels of nitrites/nitrates. RESULTS: At baseline patients had an increased superoxide release from granulocytes (10.0 +/- 0.5, 2.9 +/- 0.2, and 1.5 +/- 0.1 nmol/L per 10(6) cells/h for EP, PsA, and donors, respectively), increased copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in granulocytes in EP patients and decreased in PsA patients, decreased activity of copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (0.3 +/- 0.0, 1.8 +/- 0.1, and 2.2 +/- 0.2 U/mg protein for EP, PsA, and donors, respectively), and altered activity of catalase in psoriatic epidermis. Plasma levels of nitrites/nitrates were greater than normal in psoriatic patients. Supplementation resulted in significant improvement of clinical conditions, which corresponded to the faster versus placebo normalization of the oxidative stress markers.
CONCLUSION: Supplementation with antioxidants coenzyme Q(10), vitamin E, and selenium could be feasible for the management of patients with severe forms of psoriasis.
Selenium-antioxidant