Selenium and musculoskeletal health
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Effect of Selenium Supplementation on Musculoskeletal Health in Older Women Double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial
IRAS ID
200308
Contact name
Jennifer Walsh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
Eudract number
2016-002964-15
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 10 months, 30 days
Research summary
Research Summary
This research aims to determine whether selenium supplements improve bone and muscle health in older women at risk of osteoporosis (low bone density or weak bones) and fracture (broken bones).
Osteoporosis is a major public health problem. One in two women and one in five men over age 50 will have a fracture. Fractures cause pain, disability and reduces life-expectancy. Women with below-average bone density around the time of the menopause might have previously taken hormone replacement (HRT) to prevent osteoporosis, but HRT is much less used now due to side effects. Therefore there is a need for safe, effective and inexpensive preventative interventions for women at risk of osteoporosis.
Selenium is a chemical nutrient present in several human proteins, including anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants may protect against ageing of tissues, including bone, by mopping up damaging reactive oxygen molecules (sometimes called ‘free radicals’). Selenium is present in soil, and so is obtained from many foods. However, soil selenium levels are low in Europe, and dietary intake in the UK is below recommended levels.
We previously found that women with higher blood selenium levels have stronger bones, but this doesn’t prove that giving selenium will improve bone strength.
We propose a randomised controlled trial to compare selenium supplements with a placebo (dummy treatment) in women with below-average bone density. We will give selenium (at two different doses) or placebo to 120 women for six months and use blood and urine tests and bone density scans to see if giving selenium does have any effect on bone. We will also do muscle function tests and measurements of free radical molecules.Summary of Results
120 women took part in the study, and took either Selenase 200 mcg per day, Selenase 50 mcg per day or a placebo for six months. We used urine samples, blood samples and scans to measure the effects on bones, and standing, walking and grip strength tests to measure the effect on muscles.There were no differences between the three treatment groups at the end of six months, so we concluded that selenium supplements were not beneficial for bone or muscle health in older women.
This was a good study which gave a clear answer; doctors and patients now have better information, and people won’t waste resources doing more studies of selenium in the future.
The paper was accepted by the Lancet Healthy Longevity journal, and if you would like to read it, you can find it online here: https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Furl6570.hra.nhs.uk%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3DXv3JSvJ-2B3M71ppf7N9agbTIv-2Ft3HPwp9ygyfRmTQm9XssVc05YGkLWrQ6LcM-2FWBKA-2Fsr9q93d3uiVUoKsfkUV0RU0kJAQRUOiHqk2Fd94AcwxiAzM7WV-2B1khEnvxW0guxo7s_E1aO2-2BZlVOSJJV-2FajQqskegTd6IRomHYTi-2Fbt8SH3YI-2FbuRQOPBHru4BwmjA9iczhWZlrpNKYDm1t22qi8bEU45u7s1H7EITFFXt-2BW9sSIuhko74QlxENP6LRHVy15vVM8NH2UhqOT-2FTuVEkOksH6q6BH1Bnc-2FNvfIPsI6b4u8SrzUn-2F5WkX8akfiMm-2FjFQ-2BTSU039X8VGuyhrKVomlK0Q-3D-3D&data=04%7C01%7Capprovals%40hra.nhs.uk%7Ced46fa3ded484ffbb77a08d9e59b06c4%7C8e1f0acad87d4f20939e36243d574267%7C0%7C0%7C637793276355917164%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=fLG9eFxV7gI2czfMQ0nZGzXAlJngGWpFoYj2poCBAdo%3D&reserved=0 (or Google ‘Walsh selenium Lancet’).
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/YH/0393
Date of REC Opinion
14 Sep 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion