The Study
Long-term administration of low-dose selenium nanoparticles with different sizes aggravated atherosclerotic lesions and exhibited toxicity in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.
This study watched what happened to a special kind of mouse after giving them tiny selenium particles for a long time. It saw that their blood vessels got worse and their liver and kidneys got hurt, but it didn't compare them to mice that didn't get the particles. So we can't say the particles definitely caused the harm — just that they happened at the same time.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Scientists gave mice a daily selenium nanoparticle supplement for 6 months to see if it helped their heart disease, like it did in shorter tests.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 517 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This doesn't mean selenium supplements are dangerous for people, but it shows long-term use of this specific nanoparticle form in vulnerable animals can backfire.
- 2After 6 months, mice got worse: more plaque in arteries, lower antioxidant defenses, higher fat in blood, and damaged liver/kidneys — especially with 40.4 nm nanoparticles.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Chemico-biological interactions
Year
2021
Authors
Junying Xiao, Hui Cao, Siyu Guo, S. Xiao, Na Li, Min Li, Yuzhou Wu, Hongmei Liu
Related Content
Claims (6)
Chronic selenium toxicity occurs when a person consistently consumes more selenium than the body can process and eliminate through normal selenoprotein turnover.
In apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet, daily selenium nanoparticle supplementation at 50 μg Se/kg for 24 weeks leads to increased blood lipid levels due to altered liver lipid metabolism.
In apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet, daily selenium nanoparticle supplementation at 50 μg Se/kg for 24 weeks is associated with lower activity of key antioxidant enzymes and reduced levels of selenoenzymes involved in antioxidant defense.
In apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet, daily selenium nanoparticle supplementation at 50 μg Se/kg for 24 weeks is linked to higher levels of liver and kidney injury markers and more tissue damage.
In apolipoprotein E-deficient mice on a high-fat diet, daily selenium nanoparticle supplementation at 50 μg Se/kg for 24 weeks is associated with larger arterial plaques, lower antioxidant enzyme levels, and higher oxidative stress markers.
In mice genetically predisposed to atherosclerosis and fed a high-fat diet, selenium nanoparticles of 40.4 nanometers caused larger increases in arterial plaque and oxidative stress markers than nanoparticles of 23.1 or 86.8 nanometers when given at the same dose for the same duration.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.