Track to the metabolism of selenium.
researchers Spaniards and Danes have developed a method to study in vivo the unknown metabolism of selenium, an essential element for living organisms. The technique can help clarify whether it has or not certain anti-tumor properties which have been attributed to him and are not yet supported by clinical trials.
Spain, April 2012.- is vox populi than many physicians to title staff around the world are recommending selenium supplements as supporting the traditional therapy against cancer or the AIDS virus, but in fact the basis for these properties are not clear ”explains to SINC Justo Giner, chemist at the University of Oviedo.
Even the own general metabolism of Selenium is not completely elucidated ”, adds Giner, who along with other researchers of his University and the sciences pharmaceutical of Copenhagen (Denmark) have developed a new methodology to study how it moves this element for living organisms. The work is published in March in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.
the study has been carried out in vivo with laboratory rats, a which has provided a dose of a stable metabolic tracer of enriched selenium (77Se), but opens the door to the transfer of the method to human trials, that are safe and not radioactive isotopes ”.
The results show that, based on the information that is intended to search, the concentration of selenium in biological samples of tissue, blood or urine can be analysed. So techniques of mass spectrometry and a second isotope tracer (74Se), which helps to quantify are used with an unmatched quality ” negligible quantities of selenium in the different chemical forms in which is distributed by the Agency.
This element is an antioxidant and plays an important role in the immune response of the body. Know the path that follows since is given unless it is excreted may help to clarify their metabolism and their possible protective effect against cancer or HIV.
the ideal dose of selenium
main sources of selenium include intake of foods rich in this element as yeasts, animal products (meat, seafood, dairy products) and vegetables such as broccoli, wheat germ, nuts – particularly of Brazil –, oats, garlic and barley. The recommended daily dose of Selenium is currently approximately 55 micrograms for women and 70 micrograms for men.
The lack of this element is associated with different pathologies such as endemic cardiomyopathy, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hemolysis and muscular dystrophy. In addition, the metabolism of the thyroid also is affected by selenium levels, that this gland deyodinasas enzymes are selenoproteins.
On the contrary, to higher doses of their nutritional requirements, selenium can be considered as ‘ nutraceutical ’, IE is presumed a beneficial effect on health, mainly due to its antioxidant properties, always without the threshold in which begins to be toxic.
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Bibliographic reference:
Kristoffer Lunøe Justo Giner MartÃnez-Sierra Bente Gammelgaard, j. Ignacio GarcÃa Alonso. Internal correction of spectral interferences and mass bias for selenium metabolism studies using enriched stable isotopes in combination with multiple linear regression ”. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 402 (9): 2749 – 2763, March of 2012. DOI: 10.1007/s00216-012-5747-7.
