Tag: Heart failure

Posted on

Selenium and Heart Disease

Heart disease. The evidence from clinical studies is increasing. Selenium deficiency is associated with an increased risk of heart trouble [Bomer 2020]. Selenium supplementation of elderly individuals who have low selenium status is associated with improved survival, improved heart function, and improved quality of life [Alehagen 2013].

Map of Europe
Selenium intakes and selenium status in countries in northern Europe are generally quite low. Consequently, clinical trials conducted in northern Europe tend to be more valuable than clinical trials conducted in the USA where dietary selenium intakes are considerably higher for the most part.

Especially in northern Europe, clinical studies show the relationship between the need for selenium and the risk of heart disease. This makes sense because the dietary selenium intake in northern Europe is considerably lower than the dietary selenium intake in much of the United States. Consequently, the mean plasma selenium concentrations in Europe tend to be well below 80–90 mcg/L. In the USA, on the other hand, the mean plasma selenium concentrations are generally above 120 mcg/L [Alehagen 2022]. read more

Posted on

Heart Failure Risk and Selenium Deficiency

Low plasma selenoprotein P levels are associated with a higher risk of heart failure in a Swedish population [Jujic 2023].

Heart rate
Selenium deficiency in heart failure patients is significantly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, impaired exercise capacity, and poorer quality of life [Bomer 2020].
Selenoprotein P is the primary protein transporter of selenium in the blood.

Plasma and serum selenoprotein P concentrations are useful biomarkers of selenium status in individuals with relatively low selenium intakes because selenoprotein P responds to different intake forms of selenium [Hurst 2010].

Selenium deficiency – defined as serum selenium concentrations below 70 mcg/L – has been associated with more severe symptoms of heart failure, poorer exercise capacity, and poorer quality of life. Sub-optimal serum selenium concentrations of 70–100 mcg/L have similar adverse associations, suggesting that values less than 100 mcg/L, might be considered abnormal [Bomer 2020]. read more

Posted on

Selenium Exposure Studies

Selenium exposure in the diet and in supplements: in this review article, we summarize the key outcomes of the best selenium exposure studies.

Optimal Selenium Intake and Status

In his review of the available research literature, Professor Urban Alehagen, Linköping University, Sweden, concluded that a daily intake of 100–150 mcg of selenium per day is required.

This is the intake level that enables an optimal expression of the important selenoprotein P that transports selenium from the liver to peripheral tissues [Alehagen 2022].  For other selenoproteins to be optimized, i.e., to be fully expressed, Prof. Alehagen argues that selenium status of approximately 120 mcg/L when measured in red blood cells is necessary [Alehagen 2022]. read more

Posted on

Selenium Deficiency and Heart Failure

Heart failure – the inability of the heart muscle to pump a sufficient quantity of blood out to the body – is a debilitating disease, resulting in shortness of breath, congestion in the lungs, and pooling of blood in the lower extremities. Heart failure is equivalent to diminished quality of life.

Mitochondrion
Depiction of a mitochondrion. The mitochondria in our cells convert energy sources such as fatty acids, glucose, and ketones into ATP energy molecules. Sufficient intakes of micronutrients such as selenium, Coenzyme Q10, and zinc are important for mitochondrial energy production and for antioxidant protection of cells, lipids, proteins, and DNA.

The prognosis for heart failure is poor, and the available medical therapies for patients with heart failure are inadequate. New treatment strategies are needed [Mortensen 2015].

Yin et al have analyzed the data from 39,757 adults in a cross-sectional study from the 2005–2018 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Their findings suggest that high levels of combined dietary antioxidant micronutrients are associated with decreased prevalence of various forms of cardiovascular disease and that selenium has the greatest contribution to this association [Yin 2022]. read more