Abstract : The acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has affected millions of individuals,
causing major health and economic disruptions worldwide. The pandemic is still raging, with a second and
third wave in a few countries, while new infections steadily rise in India. Nutrition and immune status are
two critical aspects of fighting the virus successfully. Recently, selenium status was reported to positively
correlate with the survival of patients with COVID-19 compared with non-survivors. We analyzed the
blood serum levels in 30 apparently healthy individuals and in 30 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection
in the southern part of India. The patients showed significantly lower selenium levels of 69.2 §
8.7 ng/mL than controls 79.1 § 10.9 ng/mL.
The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0003). Interestingly, the control group showed a borderline level of selenium, suggesting that the level of this micronutrient is not optimum in the population studied. The results of this exploratory study pave the way for further research in a larger population and suggest that selenium supplementation may be helpful in reducing the effects of the virus.
Conclusion : This exploratory study demonstrates that selenium status is lower in patients with COVID-19 than in healthy controls, in corroboration with two recently published studies. In the present study, relatively young patients with mild symptoms with slight hypoxia were analyzed, unlike in the German study, wherein patients were older and had severe symptoms. The observational nature of the study precluded any conclusion on the casual relationship between selenium status and COVID-19. Future studies in a larger population would be valuable. Improving the selenium status by nutritional measures or supplementation may be helpful in reducing the devastation caused by this virus in India.
Keywords: Micronutrient Immune response Inflammation Selenium status Viral infection COVID-19
An exploratory study of selenium status in healthy individuals and in patients with COVID-19 in a south Indian population: The case for adequate selenium status, Muhammed Majeed, Kalyanam Nagabhushanam, Sujay Gowda, Lakshmi Mundkur

Why is selenium so important? As a “trace” mineral selenium (Se) is a vital micronutrient, with multiple roles in the growth and functioning of living cells in higher animals and humans. Selenium forms about 14 mg of the proximate composition of the average human. Adequate selenium nutrition is essential to maintain the body’s antioxidant defense systems and to efficiently utilize energy. Selenium is involved in immune mechanisms, ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10) synthesis, mitochondrial ATP biosynthesis (energy cycle), and in several metabolic processes. Selenium is also required for normal pancreatic function, which is necessary for the digestion and absorption of lipids including Vitamin E. Once believed to be a carcinogen, selenium was recognized as an essential trace nutrient over forty years ago, and has been extensively researched for its health benefits since the 1990s. Selenium is present as selenomethionine in wheat and other cereals, which therefore represents the major food form of selenium. If ingested in this form, selenium is readily incorporated into selenoproteins in animals and humans....
L(+)-Selenomethionine - SeleniumSeLECT® : SUPERIOR BIOAVAILABILITY A study conducted by Vanderbilt University Medical Center found that L-(+)- Selenomethionine in the form of Sabinsa's branded SeleniumSeLECT, is twice as bioavailable as selenium in the form of selenite (Xia, et al.; 2005). The study involved 120 subjects with an average selenium intake of 10 micrograms per day, well below the recommended dietary allowance of 55 micrograms per day. Participants were given supplemental selenium in either the form of sodium selenite or selenomethionine (SeleniumSeLECT was used). The amount of selenium in both forms needed to optimize nutrient levels in the blood was determined. As compared to sodium selenite, less than half the amount of selenium as selenomethionine was needed to reach optimal blood levels. Would this be true in selenium replete subjects as well? The researchers proceeded to validate these findings in a nutritionally adequate group of subjects in the United States.
A subsequent study (Burk, et al.; 2006) was done on selenium replete subjects to measure plasma selenium biomarkers and urinary selenium excretion using different types of selenium supplements. Doses of selenium used ranged from 200mcg/d to 600 mcg/d with three types of products being used including sodium selenite, high selenium yeast, and L(+)-selenomethionine. 81 subjects were randomly put into 10 groups as placebo and 3 dose levels of each form of selenium.
Urinary excretion results showed that supplemental selenium is absorbed to a greater extent in the form of selenomethionine than in the forms of yeast and selenite. Some of the subjects in this study ingested > 800 mcg selenium/day for 16 weeks. This is considerably more than the Institute of Medicine’s tolerable upper level of 400 mcg/day. No signs of selenium toxicity (hair loss and nail changes) were observed, in agreement with earlier observations in Chinese subjects with intakes of 800 mcg.
Moreover, plasma selenium concentrations were lower than levels determined in healthy farmers in Enshi County, an area in China with high selenium in the soil where selenium toxicity is not recognized now but was reported in the past.
Other related parts in this article :
- SELENIUM SOURCES
- OCCURRENCE AND FUNCTION OF SELENIUM IN THE HUMAN BODY
- CHEMISTRY OF SELENOMETHIONINE
- L(+) SELENOMETHIONINE VS OTHER SELENIUM SOURCES
- CLINICAL RESEARCH
- HEALTH BENEFITS : Chemopreventive Support, Cardiovascular Health, Diabetes/Blood Sugar Support, Anti-inflammatory Support, Immunity, Neurological & Psychological Health, Topical Support, Reproductive Health, Urinary Health
Targeting Trace Mineral Bioavailability: The Case of Selenium, by Muhammed Majeed, Lakshmi Prakash

Selenium, especially in organic form like selenomethionine, is one of the most versatile anti-oxidant minerals. Selenium is an essential trace element in nutrition for the prevention of disease in humans. Epidemiological studies indicate an association between low nutritional selenium status and increased risks of cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular disease and carcinogenesis in various sites of the body. The role of selenium supplementation in the prevention of a virus infection (e.g. prevention of HIV related pathology) has been considered.
Selenoproteins (proteins with selenium in their structure) discovered in mammalian cells may account for the essentiality of selenium in the body antioxidant defense (selenium is indispensable in function of glutathione system), the thyroid hormone function, the immune system function, particularly the cellular immunity, formation of sperm and functioning of the prostate gland. The nutritionally recommended dose of elemental selenium is estimated at 50 to 200 micrograms per day. Recent studies suggest that selenium and vitamin E (alone or in
combination) may reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer by
60 percent and 30 percent, respectively. This finding led to a large placebo controlled clinical trial named SELECT which has been conducted on 35,000 North American men, age 50 years or older, by the NIH/NCI to confirm those initial findings. The same population is under the same treatment regimen is also evaluated for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. The NCI/NIH utilizes brand of
L-selenomethionine, SeleniumSelect ®. Based on current knowledge of selenium in prevention of cancer the US FDA allows qualified selenium health claims such “Selenium may reduce risk of certain cancers” or” Selenium may produce anticarcinogenic effects in the body”.
In a recent two clinical studies, on Chinese and on American populations of subjects deficient in diatary selenium, the effects of chemical form of selenium on plasma biomarkers (selected selenoproteins) were evaluated by a research team from Vanderbilt University. The studies found that bioavailability of selenium was greatest for selenomethionine (as Selenium SeLECT ®), less for high-selenium yeast and the least for sodium selenite. These studies further substantiate the fact that selenium in the form of selenomethionine is more available to be absorbed and used by the body. Additionally, some of the participants had total daily intakes of more than 800 micrograms of selenium over the course of the study and showed no signs of selenium toxicity despite the fact that 800 micrograms is well above the recognized safe upper limit set by the Institute of Medicine.
Selenomethionine as an Example of Safe and Effective Form of Selenium Administration in Humans, Vladimir Badmaev MD, PhD