Selenium intake as a modulator of responsiveness to oxidative stress

A deficiency in important components of the endogenous antioxidative defense system (AODS) against the production of reactive oxygen species, including free radicals, results in the accumulation of oxidative damage, inducing oxidative stress. A dietary deficiency in selenium (Se), an important part of AODS, can increase the sensitivity of a living system to oxidative stress. We investigated the effects of Se supplementation, in the form of Se-enriched yeast, on the AODS resistance of red blood cells (RBC) to experimentally induced oxidative stress. We analyzed the alterations in main components of the AODS, such as the amount of reduced (GSH) oxidized glutathione (GSSG), Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), Se content, catalase (CAT), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), in RBC of male Wistar rats exposed to gamma rays and supplemented with Se-enriched yeast (SeY) in drinking water. The results suggested that the increased Se level generally exhibited a protective effect against whole body irradiation, reducing the expenditure of the AODS components in defense. These reductions differed depending on the time observed and the parameter investigated but, generally, SeY supplementation induced a faster restoration of the AODS after this kind of oxidative stress.