Serum Selenium Levels and Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies

Selenium is a trace element with pivotal roles in metabolic processes. Studies suggested that selenium deficiency could lead to impaired lipid profiles. However, inconsistent results have been reported regarding the association between serum selenium concentrations and lipid profile (triglycerides, LDL, HDL, VLDL, and total cholesterol). Thus, we aimed to review the correlation between them. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar until 31 December 2023. The relevant correlation coefficients were used as desired effect sizes to assess the correlation between selenium level and lipid profile. Among 8291 records found in the primary search, 47 and 34 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. All included studies were observational investigations and had acceptable quality. Our results failed to reach strong evidence supporting the correlation between serum selenium level and lipid profiles, except for HDL, which showed a weak correlation among both adults (r = 0.1 [0.03:0.17]; I² = 71%) and pediatrics (r = 0.08 [0.03:0.14]; I² = 38%). Subgroup analyses based on gender did not reveal a significant or strong correlation with selenium levels (except for total cholesterol in males (r = 0.12 [0.01:0.22]; I² = 52%)). The results did not change after the sensitivity analysis. Although some previous studies have suggested that selenium deficiency could lead to impaired lipid profile, the findings of this study indicate no strong correlation between serum selenium levels and lipid profile.