No effect of modest selenium supplementation on insulin resistance in UK pregnant women, as assessed by plasma adiponectin concentration.
Concern has been expressed recently that Se may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, but this has not been tested in a randomised-controlled trial (RCT) in pregnant women. We took advantage of having stored plasma samples from the Se in Pregnancy Intervention (SPRINT) RCT of Se supplementation in pregnancy to test the effect of Se supplementation on a marker of insulin resistance in UK pregnant women. Because our blood samples were not fasted, we measured plasma adiponectin concentration, a recognised marker of insulin resistance that gives valid measurements in non-fasted samples, as diurnal variability is minor and there is no noticeable effect of food intake. In SPRINT, 230 primiparous UK women were randomised to treatment with Se (60 μg/d) or placebo from 12 weeks of gestation until delivery. We hypothesised that supplementation with Se at a nutritional level would not exacerbate the fall in adiponectin concentration that occurs in normal pregnancy, indicating the lack of an adverse effect on insulin resistance. Indeed, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the change in adiponectin from 12 to 35 weeks (P=0·938), nor when the analysis was restricted to the bottom or top quartiles of baseline whole-blood Se (P=0·515 and 0·858, respectively). Cross-sectionally, adiponectin concentration was not associated with any parameter of Se status, either at 12 or 35 weeks. It is reassuring that a nutritional dose of Se had no adverse effect on the concentration of adiponectin, a biomarker of insulin resistance, in pregnant women of modest Se status.
1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism,Institute of Endocrinology,The First Hospital of China Medical University,Shenyang 110001,People's Republic of China.
Jinyuan
J
Mao
2Department of Nutritional Sciences,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Surrey,Guildford GU2 7XH,UK.
Sarah C
SC
Bath
3School of Medical Science,Griffith Health Institute,Griffith University,Southport,QLD 4222,Australia.
Jessica J
JJ
Vanderlelie
3School of Medical Science,Griffith Health Institute,Griffith University,Southport,QLD 4222,Australia.
Anthony V
AV
Perkins
4Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,University of Oxford,Oxford OX3 9DU,UK.
Christopher W G
CW
Redman
2Department of Nutritional Sciences,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Surrey,Guildford GU2 7XH,UK.
Margaret P
MP
Rayman
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D012643:Selenium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*
C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D014131:Trace Elements; D012643:Selenium
Adiponectin; Diabetes; GDM gestational diabetes; GPx3 glutathione peroxidise 3; Insulin resistance; Pregnancy; RCT randomised-controlled trial; SEPP1 selenoprotein P1; Selenium; T2D type 2 diabetes