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].

The daily supplementation with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 suggests a positive influence on delayed aging and longevity [Alehagen 2023].

Sources

Alehagen U, Alexander J, Aaseth JO, Larsson A, Svensson E, Opstad TB.
Effects of an intervention with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 on five selected age-related biomarkers in elderly Swedes low in selenium: results that point to an anti-ageing effect—a sub-analysis of a previous prospective double-blind placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial. Cells. 2023;12:1773.

Dunning BJ, Alexander J, Aaseth JO, Alehagen U. Selenium and coenzyme Q10 improve the systemic redox status while reducing cardiovascular mortality in elderly population-based individuals. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 2023;204:207-214.

Opstad TB, Alexander J, Aaseth J, Alehagen U. Increased SIRT1 concentration following four years of selenium and Q10 intervention associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality at 10-year follow-up: sub-study of a previous prospective RCT. Antioxidants. 2023;12:759.

Opstad TB, Alexander J, Aaseth J, Alehagen U. Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 intervention prevents telomere attrition, with association to reduced cardiovascular mortality: sub-study of a randomized clinical trial.
Nutrients. 2022;14:3346.

Alehagen U, Aaseth J, Larsson A, Alexander J. Decreased concentration of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF-23) as a result of supplementation with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 in an elderly Swedish population: a sub-analysis. Cells. 2022a;11:509.

Alehagen U, Johansson P, Aaseth J, Alexander J. Improved cardiovascular health by supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10: applying structural equation modelling to clinical outcomes and biomarkers to explore underlying mechanisms. Eur J Nutr. 2022b;61(6):3135-3148.

Alehagen U, Aaseth J, Lindahl TL, Alexander J. Dietary supplementation with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 prevents increase in plasma D-dimer while lowering cardiovascular mortality in an elderly Swedish population.
Nutrients. 2021;13:1344.

Alehagen U, Brismar K, Alexander J, Aaseth J. Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 supplementation improves renal function in elderly deficient in selenium observational results and results from a subgroup analysis of a randomised placebo controlled trial. Nutrients. 2020a;12(12):3780.

Alehagen U, Aaseth J, Alexander J, Johansson P. Supplemental selenium and coenzyme Q10 reduce glycation along with cardiovascular mortality in an elderly population with low selenium status. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. 2020b;61:126541.

Alehagen U, Alexander J, Aaseth J, Larsson A. Significant decrease of von Willebrand factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 by providing supplementation with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 to an elderly population. European Journal of Nutrition. 2020c;59:3581-3590.

Alehagen U, Johansson P, Aaseth J, Alexander J. Significant changes in metabolic profiles after intervention with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 in an elderly population. Biomolecules. 2019a;10:E553.

Alehagen U, Alexander J, Aaseth J, Larsson A. Decrease in inflammatory biomarker concentration by intervention with selenium and Coenzyme Q10: a subanalysis of osteopontin, osteoprotergerin, TNFr1, TNFr2 and TWEAK. J Inflamm (Lond). 2019b;16:5.

Alehagen U, Aaseth J, Alexander J, Johansson P. Still reduced cardiovascular mortality 12 years after supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10 for four years: A validation of previous 10-year follow-up results of a prospective randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2018;13(4): e0193120.

Alehagen U, Johansson P, Aaseth J, Alexander J. Increase in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 after supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10. PLoS One. 2017a;12(6):e0178614.

Alehagen U, Aaseth J, Alexander J, Svensson E. Less fibrosis in elderly subjects supplemented with selenium and coenzyme Q10-A mechanism behind reduced cardiovascular mortality? Biofactors. 2017b;12(4):e0174880.

Alehagen U, Johansson P, Aaseth J, Alexander J. Significant changes in circulating microRNA by dietary supplementation of selenium and Coenzyme Q10. PLoS One. 2017c;12(4):e0174880.

Alehagen U, Alexander J, Aaseth J. Supplementation with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 reduces cardiovascular mortality in elderly with low selenium status. a secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.
PLoS One. 2016a;11(7):e0157541.

Alehagen U, Johansson P, Björnstedt M, Rosén A, Post C, Aaseth J.
Relatively high mortality risk in elderly Swedish subjects with low selenium status. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2016b;70(1):91-6.

Alehagen U, Aaseth J, Johansson P. Reduced cardiovascular mortality 10 years after supplementation with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 for four years: follow-up results of a prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. PLoS One. 2015a;10(12):e0141641.

Alehagen U, Lindahl TL, Aaseth J, Svensson E. Levels of sP-selectin and hs-CRP Decrease with dietary intervention with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 combined: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. PLoS One. 2015b;10(9):e0137680.

Alehagen U, Aaseth J, Johansson P. Less increase of copeptin and MR-proADM due to intervention with selenium and coenzyme Q10 combined: Results from a 4-year prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial among elderly Swedish citizens. Biofactors. 2015c;41(6):443-52.

Alehagen U, Aaseth J. Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 interrelationship in cardiovascular diseases – A clinician’s point of view. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2015d;31:157-62.

Johansson P, Dahlstrom O, Dahlstrom U, Alehagen U. Improved health-related quality of life, and more days out of hospital with supplementation with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 combined. J Nutr Health Aging. 2015;19(9):870-7.

Johansson P, Dahlstrom O, Dahlstrom U, Alehagen U. Effect of selenium and Q10 on the cardiac biomarker NT-proBNP. Scand Cardiovasc J. 2013;47:281-8.

Alehagen U, Johansson P, Bjørnstedt M, Rosen A. Cardiovascular mortality and N-terminal-proBNP reduced after combined selenium and Coenzyme Q10 supplementation. Int J Cardiol. 2013;167(5):1860-1866.

The information presented in this review article is not intended as medical advice and should not be used as such.

31 July 2023

 

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