What makes selenium and Coenzyme Q10 a good heart health combination supplement? Here, of course, we are talking about supplementation of individuals who have low selenium and CoQ10 blood levels.
Selenoprotein P and Heart Health
Low serum concentrations of selenoprotein P (SELENOP) are an indication of increased heart health risks. Low serum SELENOP is strongly associated with the following risks:
- increased risk of a first cardiovascular event
- increased risk of cardiovascular mortality
- increased risk of all-cause mortality
This is the conclusion from a relatively large study of adults in Sweden. The study participants had no history of cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study [Schomburg 2019].
There were 3,531 non-smokers and 835 smokers enrolled in the study in Sweden. At the end of the study, the study participants at increased risk of cardiovascular disease had a mean serum SELENOP level below 4.3 mg/L SELENOP. This serum concentration of SELENOP corresponds to serum selenium concentrations of less than 70 mcg/L [Schomburg 2019].
Selenium and Good Health
Selenium is an essential trace element for good health. If we are to survive and reproduce, we need some selenium in our diets. Not much but some. The reason is that our bodies cannot synthesize the selenium we need. Many of us live in a region of the world with low selenium content in the soil and in the regionally grown food products. Accordingly, it is difficult for us to get enough selenium in our diet.
For example, Alexander et al point out that mainland Europe and Scandinavia are regions with a low intake of selenium. North America, by contrast, is a region with much higher selenium intake. There is considerable variation in the selenium content of locally cultivated food products around the world. Consequently, daily selenium intake varies considerably. Depending upon the region we live in, we may be at risk of sub-optimal selenium intakes or selenium deficiency [Alexander 2024].
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].
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].
ChatGPT Answers Selenium Health Benefits Question
How does ChatGPT answer the question: what are the health benefits of selenium supplementation in Europe? Earlier this month, we posed that question to the free version of ChatGPT. We focused on Europe because the selenium intakes in the United States are generally much higher than the selenium intakes in many parts of Europe [Alehagen 2022].
First, ChatGPT explained that selenium is an essential trace element. It plays an important role in physiological processes in the body. It is a necessary component in selenoproteins. These selenoproteins have antioxidant properties. They help regulate immune system function, thyroid function, and DNA synthesis.
Next, ChatGPT reminded that excessive intake of selenium can lead to toxicity. Selenium supplementation should be undertaken under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Note that the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 and the European Food Safety Authority both set the tolerable upper intake level at 255 mcg/day [Blomhoff 2023; EFSA 2023].
Effect of Selenium Supplementation on Heart Health
Selenium is an essential antioxidant trace element that is necessary for key activities in human metabolism [Djalalinia 2019]. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of selenium supplementation reveal that selenium supplementation is a cost-effective and simple-to-use intervention that can play an important role in the maintenance of good heart health and in the prevention of heart disease risk factors [Hasani 2018; Hasani 2019; Mahdavi 2019; Tabrizi 2017].
These results from meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials reaffirm the outcomes in the Bomer multinational observational cohort study. In that study, heart failure patients with serum selenium concentrations below 70 micrograms per liter were more likely to have the following characteristics [Bomer 2019]:
Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 and heart health
In my mind, I keep coming back to the question of heart health and the role that selenium supplements play in heart health. That may surprise many of you because we tend to think of selenium supplements primarily for the prevention of cancer and for the prevention of thyroid disorders and for protection against the toxic effects of heavy metals like mercury and cadmium. We know that our immune system needs adequate intakes of selenium if it is to function optimally. That’s correct, isn’t it?
Selenium supplements and good heart health
But, what about the relationship between selenium intakes and status and heart health? Writing in the medical journal, The Lancet, Professor Margaret P. Rayman, University of Surrey, in Guildford, United Kingdom, has listed and documented the following ways that adequate selenium status and optimal levels of selenoproteins can potentially benefit the heart [Rayman 2012]: