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Comprehensive Insights into the Health Effects of Selenium Exposure and Supplementation Among the Chinese Community Middle-Aged and Elderly: a Combined Retrospective Cohort Study and Intervention Study

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Abstract

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for maintaining human health, for example, plays a crucial role in preventing aging-related diseases. However, most studies on the health effects of Se among the community middle-aged and elderly have been observational or the health indices were single, and the related study among the Chinese population is limited. Additionally, China is recognized as among the countries facing a significant deficiency in Se, and Se contents in the human body may decrease with age. Therefore, a two-step study was conducted to explore the health effects of Se exposure and supplementation among such populations in China. Firstly, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to compare the health outcomes between such populations residing in Se-rich regions and non-Se-rich regions, involving a total of 102 subjects, with 51 residing in Se-rich regions and 51 in non-Se-rich regions. The hair-Se (H-Se) contents, serum-Se (S-Se) contents, and total cholesterol of subjects from Se-rich regions were significantly higher than their counterparts. Notably, significant positive associations were observed between S-Se and lipids. Secondly, a before-after self-control Se supplementation study among subjects residing in non-Se-rich regions was conducted. A total of 40 subjects administered Se tablets orally for 30 days, with Se of 120 μg/day. The results showed significant increases in H-Se and S-Se. Se supplementation also exhibited positive effects on alanine aminotransferase, homocysteine, and fasting glucose; however, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly decreased. Overall, the community middle-aged and elderly residing in Se-rich regions or receiving quantitative Se supplementation could effectively improve Se contents in bodies and certain health indices, excluding lipids. These improvements encompass liver function, cardiovascular health, and glucose metabolism. These findings enhance our understanding of how Se impacts the health of the middle-aged and elderly, emphasizing the significance of targeted interventions for such populations in non-Se-rich regions. Trial registration: ChiCTR2000040987 (https://www.chictr.org.cn).

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Data will be available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate the contributions of all the volunteers and researchers in this work.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (42377420) and the Basic Research Program of Jiangsu Province (BK20201186).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Public Health Research, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    Chen Li & Lei Huang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Chen Li, Xiangwen Peng, Jiayang Zheng, Kexin Shi, Qinyi Yang & Lei Huang

  3. Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Liqiang Qin

  4. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, China

    Zhangmin Wang

  5. Jiangsu Bio-Engineering Research Center for Selenium, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Zhangmin Wang

  6. Development and Utilization Center of Selenium Resources in Yichun City, Jiangxi Province, Yichun, 336000, China

    Ying Liu

  7. Nanjing University (Suzhou) High-Tech Institute, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Lei Huang

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  1. Chen Li
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Contributions

Chen Li: methodology, formal analysis, data curation, visualization, writing (original draft, review, and editing). Xiangwen Peng: data curation, investigation, and writing—review and editing. Jiayang Zheng: visualization and writing—review and editing. Kexin Shi: investigation, data curation, and writing—review and editing. Liqiang Qin: conceptualization and writing—review and editing. Qinyi Yang: data curation and writing—review and editing. Zhangmin Wang: writing—review and editing. Ying Liu: resources and writing—review and editing. Lei Huang: conceptualization, supervision, resources, funding acquisition, project administration, and writing—review and editing.

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Correspondence to Lei Huang.

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Li, C., Peng, X., Zheng, J. et al. Comprehensive Insights into the Health Effects of Selenium Exposure and Supplementation Among the Chinese Community Middle-Aged and Elderly: a Combined Retrospective Cohort Study and Intervention Study. Biol Trace Elem Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-023-03963-y

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