Selenium and acute alcoholism

Selenium status was investigated in nine inebriated alcoholic subjects by collecting serial samples of blood and urine during hospitalization for alcohol detoxification. The selenium content of various alcoholic beverages and samples of hospital diets was also determined. Mean plasma selenium level and mean urinary excretion of selenium were both significantly lower (p less than 0.01) in alcoholic subjects as compared to the control subjects at the time of admission. Furthermore, the daily dietary intake of selenium before hospitalization was estimated to be below the recommended safe and adequate range in the majority of the alcoholic subjects. The selenium content of various alcoholic beverages was determined to be very low (0.1 to 0.8 microgram/dl). These data suggest that selenium depletion does occur in alcoholic subjects most likely due to poor dietary intake. Selenium depletion in this group of patients is corrected by cessation of ethanol ingestion and adequate dietary intake without additional selenium supplementation.