Category: Ageing

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Selenium and Healthy Aging

Healthy aging. How can we slow down and delay the aging process? Certainly, nutrition is one factor in anti-aging. Specifically, adequate intakes of the micronutrient selenium may prevent disease and may enhance healthy aging. Inadequate intakes of selenium, on the other hand, may result in diminished immune function and may accelerate the aging process [Bjorklund 2022].

Professor Alehagen lectures about selenium and aging
Professor Urban Alehagen was the lead researcher on the KiSel-10 study of the effect of combined selenium and CoQ10 supplementation on cardiovascular health in elderly citizen low in both substances.

To a considerable extent, aging is associated with the oxidative damage caused by harmful free radicals to cells and DNA and proteins. Selenium through the work of antioxidant selenoproteins, e.g., the glutathione peroxidases and the thioredoxin reductases, improves our bodies’ antioxidant defenses against free radical damage [Bjorklund 2022; Avery & Hoffmann 2018]. read more

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Low Selenium Status in Elderly Adults

Many elderly adults have low serum selenium concentrations. This is especially true in the United Kingdom and much of Europe and the Middle East [Stoffaneller & Morse 2015].  Now, a published report shows that over 80 % of the 85-year-old adults in a study in northeastern England had suboptimal serum selenium and selenoprotein P concentrations. Over 40 % had deficient selenium status, judged by reference values derived from studies of healthy adults in all age categories [Perri 2024].

Elderly man
Elderly study participants in England, men especially, were found to have suboptimal (80%) or deficient (40%) serum levels of selenium.

Suboptimal serum selenium status was defined as 70 mcg/L or lower. Serum selenium deficiency was defined as 45 mcg/L or lower.

The researchers observed a linear association between serum selenium levels and serum selenoprotein P (SELENOP) levels. SELENOP is the primary transport protein carrying selenium from the blood to the peripheral tissues. The findings in this study indicate that most study participants had suboptimal selenium intakes and status. Their diets were not sufficient to saturate the level of circulating SELENOP [Perri 2024]. read more

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Selenium and Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome – according to the American Heart Association, metabolic syndrome is a medical condition that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other health problems. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is met whenever a patient has three or more of the following five risk factors [What 2023]:

Ambulance
The risk of metabolic syndrome increases with increasing age, with being overweight or obese, and with increased insulin resistance.

High blood pressure

  • High blood sugar
  • High blood levels of triglycerides
  • Low blood levels of HDL cholesterol
  • Large waist circumference

    • In particular, metabolic syndrome puts the patient at increased risk of developing atherosclerosis, the condition in which the build-up of fatty deposits on the inner walls of arteries impedes blood flow and eventually restricts the flow of blood to the heart [What 2023]. read more

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    Selenium and Human Longevity

    The absorption of dietary and supplemental selenium has an important and positive influence on human longevity. Selenium researchers have called selenium a “longevity element.” The selenoenzymes and selenoproteins of which selenium is an essential component have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activity in humans [Li 2024].

    Great Wall of China
    Typically, China has many regions with selenium-poor soil and selenium-poor foodstuffs. Some regions, however, do have selenium-rich soil and selenium-rich crops and fruits. One such region is characterized by the longevity of its residents. Selenium seems to be a factor in anti-aging.

    Maintaining selenium absorption and metabolism at an optimal physiological state seems to be one of the primary factors for good health and longevity of the elderly people. In particular, scientific studies have shown that selenium intake and status play an important role in the incidence and progression of some chronic diseases [Li 2024]:

    • Cancer: inducing tumor cell apoptosis, reducing the mutagenicity of carcinogenic factors, prolonging the cell division interval, and slowing proliferation of malignant cells
    • Heart failure: improving exercise tolerance, reducing mortality rate, and improving quality of life
    • Heavy metals: binding to mercury, sequestering mercury, reducing mercury’s biological availability and reducing the damage to the kidney caused by exposure to heavy metals
    • Antioxidant effects: restoring the antioxidant defense system of the body
    Selenium-Rich Soil in a Chinese Longevity Township

    Bama Yao Autonomous County is the only longevity township in China that is globally recognized as having a continuously growing longevity population. In 2020, Bama had 102 residents over 100 years old. The number had increased from the 2000 census (74 residents over 100 years of age) and the 2010 census (82 residents over 100 years of age). Bama has relatively stable genetic and geographic factors and a relatively stable dietary culture [Li 2024]. The proportion of centenarians is nearly six times greater than the international standard proportion [Zhang 2023]. read more

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    Selenium Delays Cognitive Decline

    In the Swedish KiSel-10 clinical trial, the study participants had an average age of 78 years at the start of the study [Alehagen 2013]. Their serum selenium concentration at baseline was at a deficiency level (mean: 67.1 mcg/L).

    Woman meditating
    Diet, exercise, and meditation are all important to good brain health. Dietary and supplemental selenium crosses the blood-brain barrier. Supply of selenium to the brain has a higher priority than supply to other organs. Low selenium status is associated with cognitive decline.

    Moreover, the low selenium status of the elderly Swedish citizens was significantly associated with relatively high mortality risk [Alehagen 2016]. Daily supplementation with 200 mcg of a selenium-enriched yeast preparation together with 200 mg of Coenzyme Q10 raised the study participants’ serum selenium levels to 210 mcg/L and reduced the risk of cardiovascular mortality [Alehagen 2022a].

    The four years of joint supplementation were associated with the following positive health outcomes: read more

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    Selenium Status and Mortality Risk

    Mortality and morbidity. As we get older, we start to think about ways to reduce the risk of an early death. We want to reduce the risk of living out our lives in ill health.

    Zion National Park in the USA
    Pictured here: A creek in the Zion National Park in Utah.

    We think about diet, exercise, 10,000 steps a day, hobbies, social contact. But, do we think about our selenium intake and status? Now, some large survey studies conducted in the US have shown that higher selenium status is significantly associated with lower mortality.

    Each year, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the United States conducts surveys that focus on different population groups or health topics. This week, we present data from studies of selenium status and mortality.

    Selenium Status and Type 2 Diabetes

    Qiu et al examined the data from 3199 adults with type 2 diabetes. Their analysis showed that higher serum selenium concentrations are associated with lower all-cause mortality and lower heart disease mortality among individuals with type 2 diabetes [Qiu 2022]. read more

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    Selenium and Anti-Aging Effects

    Maintaining adequate selenium status is an acknowledged anti-aging strategy. We need selenium to live longer and to be healthier as we age. Adequate intakes of selenium and adequate bio-synthesis of selenoproteins contribute to healthy aging and to reduced vulnerability to various disorders. Selenium and selenoproteins are important for the following biological activity [Bjorklund 2022]:

    • antioxidant protection
    • enhancement of immune system function
    • metabolic homeostasis
    Crowds of people
    Bjorklund et al estimate that selenium deficiency affects about one billion people in the world and may have a significant adverse effect on human health.

    One characteristic of aging is oxidative stress.

    Oxidative stress is defined as an imbalance between the damage caused by harmful free radicals and the protection offered by antioxidants. Inadequate selenium status can reduce the longevity and the health of senior citizens by accelerating the aging process and/or increasing vulnerability to immune system dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, and cancer [Bjorklund 2022]. read more

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    Impact of Selenium Status on Biological Aging

    Aging. Getting up in years. Striving to live as long as possible and to be as strong and healthy as possible. At some point, good health becomes a more important concern than wealth. Optimal selenium status is important to good health [Alehagen 2021].

    Professor Jan Aaseth
    Professor Jan Aaseth, MD, PhD, researcher in internal medicine, endocrinology, and toxicology and specialist in selenium research.

    In a review article, Professor Urban Alehagen and Professor Jan Aaseth list the following conditions associated with biological aging [Alehagen 2021]:

    • chronic mild to moderate systemic inflammation
    • detrimental DNA alterations
    • mitochondrial dysfunction
    • oxidative stress caused by harmful free radicals
    • telomere shortening

    Getting old is inevitable. Biological aging necessarily involves a weakening of the immune system and increased susceptibility to diseases and environmental stresses.

    Selenium deficiency associated with aging and aging-related diseases

    Selenium deficiency is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation [Alehagen 2021].

    Mitochondrial injuries are an important factor in the aging of human cells.  A by-product of the mitochondrial generation of ATP energy in the cells is the production of reactive oxygen species, some of which are useful and some of which are harmful. The leakage of these harmful free radicals from the mitochondrial respiratory chain increases with age, which results in cellular oxidative damage, whenever there are not enough antioxidants to neutralize the effects of the free radicals. read more

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    Impact of Selenium Status on Ageing

    Selenium is an essential trace element. Essential means that sufficient selenium is necessary for normal cell functioning and that our bodies cannot synthesize selenium for us. We must get it from our diets. Trace element means selenium is a micronutrient that is needed in very small quantities, in microgram quantities. It may be an important element to slow the ageing process.

    Elderly couple
    Selenium as a component in protective enzymes helps to keep us healthier longer in life. It helps to suppress oxidative stress and to decrease inflammation, to remove misfolded proteins, to decrease DNA damage, and to promote telomere length.

    Sufficient selenium status plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, and infections. Prof. Margaret P. Rayman, University of Surrey, estimates that serum/plasma selenium status of around 125 mcg/L is optimal for human health [Rayman 2020].

    The beneficial work of selenium in the cells and tissues is done by selenoproteins that contain the amino acid selenocysteine in the active center. Among the selenoproteins known to have an antioxidant effect in the body are the glutathione peroxidases (GPX1-4 and GPX6) and the thioredoxin reductases (TXNRD1-3) [Alehagen 2021]. read more

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    Selenium Supplementation and Anti-Ageing Effects

    The development of ageing-related diseases seems to be closely related to the extent of damage inflicted on the cells by oxidative stress. Researchers define oxidative stress as damage to proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids caused by an imbalance between harmful reactive oxygen species (frequently referred to as free radicals) and the body’s antioxidative defenses [Alehagen 2021].

    Elderly couple on the beach
    We want to stay as young as possible as late in life as possible. Ensuring that we have an optimal intake of selenium is associated with protection against several aspects of ageing.

    A 2021 review of the relevant research literature reveals the following findings [Alehagen 2021]:

    -Optimal selenium status is necessary for the synthesis of the antioxidant seleno-enzymes: the glutathione peroxidases and the thioredoxin reductases.

    -Selenium deficiency in elderly individuals seems to increase the risk of developing age-related diseases: chronic inflammation, cardiovascular disease,  cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. read more