A comparative study of serum selenium and vitamin E levels in a population of male risk drinkers and abstainers. A population-based matched-pair study.
Depressed selenium and Vitamin E levels may contribute to hepatic injury through lipid peroxidation. To study the effect of moderate alcohol drinking (32.4 +/- 23.6 g ethanol/d) on serum selenium and serum vitamin E concentrations, we conducted a matched-pair study of 73 healthy, well-nourished risk drinkers and healthy controls with little or no alcohol consumption. Among risk drinkers, serum selenium was significantly lowered (1.49 vs 1.67 mumol/L; p < 0.001) compared with controls. Difference in alpha-tocopherol concentrations did not, however, reach statistical significance (22.8 vs 24.9 mumol/L; p = 0.06). Nutritional and life-style factors differed very little between the two groups. We conclude that even moderate alcohol consumption lowers selenium status. Selenium may thus represent a link joining the hepatotoxic and nutritional backgrounds of alcoholic liver disease.
Ringstad
J
J
Ostfold Central Hospital, Sarpsborg, Norway.
Knutsen
S F
SF
Nilssen
O R
OR
Thomassen
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D013695:Temperance; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D008055:Lipids; D014810:Vitamin E; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D012643:Selenium