Serum selenium determinants in French adults: the SU.VI.M.AX study

Area of Science:

• Nutritional biochemistry and public health
• Environmental determinants of micronutrient status

Background:

• Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element crucial for antioxidant defense and overall health.
• Understanding factors influencing serum Se concentrations is vital for public health initiatives.
• The SU.VI.M.AX study provided a large dataset to investigate Se status in a French population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between serum Se concentrations and various environmental and lifestyle factors.
• To identify determinants affecting Se status in a large cohort of men and women.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of baseline data from 13,017 participants (7876 women, 5141 men) in the SU.VI.M.AX study.
• Assessment of serum Se concentrations in relation to lifestyle, geographic region, diet, BMI, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
• Statistical analysis to determine significant associations between serum Se levels and environmental determinants.

Main Results:

• Women exhibited significantly lower serum Se concentrations than men.
• Serum Se levels were associated with geographic region, smoking, alcohol, meat, and fish consumption.
• Dietary factors (vegetables, fruits) and lifestyle choices (oral contraceptive use, obesity) showed sex-specific associations with Se status.

Conclusions:

• While overt Se deficiency was rare, a majority of participants had suboptimal serum Se levels, impacting glutathione peroxidase activity.
• Geographic region, smoking, alcohol, and dietary intake of meat and fish were the strongest predictors of Se status in both sexes.
• Significant gender differences in Se status warrant further investigation to elucidate underlying mechanisms.