Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation for Senior Citizens

In senior citizens, and delayed aging and longevity are associated with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection derived  from daily supplementation with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 [Alehagen 2023].

Elderly couple dancing
Daily supplementation with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 seems to have a positive influence on longevity and delayed aging.

The KiSel-10 Study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of the effect of combined selenium and CoQ10 supplementation of senior citizens on cardiovascular mortality.

Researchers administered 200 micrograms of selenium in a selenium-rich yeast preparation and 200 milligrams of Coenzyme Q10 in the ubiquinone form or matching placebos to community living senior citizens daily for 48 months [Alehagen 2013].

Summary of Statistically Significant KiSel-10 Study Outcomes
  • reduction of cardiovascular mortality in the active treatment group vs. the placebo group (5.9% vs. 12.6%) and better cardiac function observed on echocardiograms in the active supplementation group compared to the placebo group [Alehagen 2013]
  • reduction of plasma levels of the N-terminal natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a bio-marker for increased risk of heart failure [Johansson 2013]
  • improvement of health-related quality of life and fewer days in hospital [Johansson 2015]
  • reduction of cardiovascular mortality in senior citizens with low serum selenium status [Alehagen 2016a; Alehagen 2016b]
  • reduction of cardiovascular mortality that persisted after 10 and 12 years in the supplemented group and in subgroups with diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and reduced functional capacity due to impaired cardiac function [Alehagen 2015a; Alehagen 2018]
  • reduction of plasma levels of two bio-markers for oxidative damage [Alehagen 2015c]
  • reduction of plasma levels of six bio-markers for systemic inflammation [Alehagen 2015b; Alehagen 2019b]
  • reduction of serum levels of seven bio-markers for fibrosis [Alehagen 2017b]
  • reduction of plasma levels of bio-markers for endothelial dysfunction [Alehagen 2020c]
  • increase in plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor-1, attenuating an age-related decline in IGF-1 concentrations [Alehagen 2017a]
  • reduction of fructosamine concentration compared with the concentration in the placebo group, which tended to increase, important because fructosamine concentration is positively associated with incidence of diabetes and increased blood glucose level [Alehagen 2020b]
  • improvement of renal function in elderly citizens deficient in selenium [Alehagen 2020a]
  • prevention of an increase in D-dimer levels, which are associated with increased risk of thrombotic disorders [Alehagen 2021]
  • association with significant changes in metabolic profiles and with significant changes in the pentose phosphate, the mevalonate, the beta-oxidation, and the xanthine oxidase pathways [Alehagen 2019a]
  • association with significant changes in circulating microRNA [Alehagen 2017c]
  • structural equation modelling that shows that antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects are the primary underlying biological mechanisms to explain the success of the KiSel-10 study [Alehagen 2022b]
  • decrease in concentrations of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) [Alehagen 2022a]
  • less shortening of leukocyte telomere length [Opstad 2022]
  • increase in serum SIRT1 concentrations [Opstad 2023]
  • improvement in serum free thiol levels, supporting a reduction in systemic oxidative stress [Dunning 2023]
  • positive effects on five age-related blood biomarkers – ICAM-1, adiponectin, leptin, stem cell factor, and osteoprotegerin – indicating an anti-aging direction compared to placebo [Alehagen 2023].
Conclusion: Delayed aging and longevity associated with Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 for senior citizens

Professor Urban Alehagen and Professor Jan Aaseth have explained an important biological interrelationship between selenium and Coenzyme Q10 and pointed to a theoretical advantage in using both substances in an intervention if there are deficiencies within the population [Alehagen 2015d]. read more

Selenium and Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes. Some news reports have suggested that high selenium intakes and status may be potential risk factors for the development of type 2 Diabetes mellitus. However, current data show that supplemental selenium does not cause diabetes [Schomburg 2020].

Diabetes symptoms
It seems likely that diabetes causes elevated blood selenium levels rather than the other way around [Schomburg 2020].
Two large randomized controlled trials using selenium supplements have shown no diabetes risk caused by 1) a selenomethionine product [Lippman 2009] and 2)   a selenium-enriched yeast product [Thompson 2016; Jacobs 2019]. In neither study was there any significant risk of diabetes  at the recommended dosage, not even among selenium-replete individuals of various ages and both genders [Schomburg 2020].

Moreover, in the Selenium Trial, the researchers saw no causal role for selenium in the development of insulin resistance or diabetes. Instead, they observed decreased fasting blood glucose levels in the selenium supplemented group compared to the control group [Jacobs 2019]. read more