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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #271317
Title: Higher selenium status is associated with adverse blood lipid profile in British adults

Author
item STRANGES, SAVERIO - University Of Warwick
item LACLAUSTRA, MARTIN - Johns Hopkins School Of Public Health
item JI, CHEN - University Of Warwick
item CAPPUCCIO, FRANCESCO - University Of Warwick
item VAVAS-ACIEN, ANA - Johns Hopkins University
item ORDOVAS, JOSE - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item RAYMAN, MARGARET - University Of Surrey
item GUALLAR, ELISEO - Johns Hopkins School Of Public Health

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/29/2009
Publication Date: 1/1/2010
Citation: Stranges, S., Laclaustra, M., Ji, C., Cappuccio, F.P., Vavas-Acien, A., Ordovas, J.M., Rayman, M., Guallar, E. 2010. Higher selenium status is associated with adverse blood lipid profile in British adults. Journal of Nutrition. 140(1):81-87.

Interpretive Summary: Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts. Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are important antioxidant enzymes. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Free radicals are natural by-products of oxygen metabolism that may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Recent findings have raised concern about possible associations of high selenium exposure with diabetes and hyperlipidemia in the US, a population with high selenium status. In the UK, a population with lower selenium status, there is little data on the association of selenium status with cardio-metabolic risk factors in the general population. We examined the association of plasma selenium concentration with blood lipids in a nationally representative sample (n=1042) of British adults. Higher plasma selenium was associated with total cholesterol but not with HDL cholesterol in this adult population. These findings raise additional concern about potential adverse cardio-metabolic effects of high selenium status.

Technical Abstract: Recent findings have raised concern about possible associations of high selenium exposure with diabetes and hyperlipidemia in the US, a population with high selenium status. In the UK, a population with lower selenium status, there is little data on the association of selenium status with cardio-metabolic risk factors in the general population. We examined the association of plasma selenium concentration with blood lipids in a nationally representative sample of British adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1042 white participants (aged 19–64 y) in the 2000–2001 UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Plasma selenium was measured by inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrometry. Total and HDL cholesterol were measured in nonfasting plasma samples. Mean plasma selenium concentration was 1.106 0.19 mmol/L. The multivariate adjusted differences between the highest ($1.20 mmol/L) and lowest (,0.98 mmol/L) quartiles of plasma selenium were 0.39 (95% CI 0.18, 0.60) mmol/L for total cholesterol, 0.38 (0.17, 0.59) for non-HDL cholesterol, and 0.01 (20.05, 0.07) for HDL cholesterol. Higher plasma selenium (i.e., $1.20 mmol/L) was associated with increased total and non-HDL cholesterol levels but not with HDL in the UK adult population. These findings raise additional concern about potential adverse cardio-metabolic effects of high selenium status. Randomized and mechanistic evidence is necessary to assess causality and to evaluate the impact of this association on cardiovascular risk.