Selenium from Selenium-Rich Spirulina Is Less Bioavailable than Selenium from Sodium Selenite and Selenomethionine in Selenium-Deficient Rats
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The bioavailabilty of selenium (Se) from selenium-rich Spirulina (SeSp) was assessed in Se-deficient rats by measuring tissue Se accumulation and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity. For 42 d, rats were subjected to dietary Se depletion by consumption of a Torula yeast (TY)-based diet with no Se; controls were fed the same diet supplemented with 75 microg Se/kg diet as sodium selenite. Se-deficient rats were then repleted with Se (75 microg/kg) by the addition of sodium selenite, selenomethionine (SeMet) or SeSp to the TY basal diet. Selenium speciation in SeSp emphasized the quasi-absence of selenite (2% of total Se); organic Se comprised SeMet (approximately 18%), with the majority present in the form of two selenoproteins (20-30 kDa and 80 kDa). Gross absorption of Se from SeSp was significantly lower than from free SeMet and sodium selenite. SeMet was less effective than sodium selenite in restoring Se concentration in the liver but not in kidney. SeSp was always much less effective. Similarly, Se from SeSp was less effective than the other forms of Se in restoring GSH-Px activity, except in plasma and red blood cells where no differences were noted among the three sources. This was confirmed by measuring the bioavailability of Se by slope-ratio analysis using selenite as the reference form of Se. Although Se from SeSp did not replenish Se concentration and GSH-Px activity in most tissues to the same degree as the other forms of Se, we conclude that it is biologically useful and differently metabolized due to its chemical form.
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Arthrospira platensis is rich in selenium and cyanobacterial selenium, which exists as selenite (2%) and selenomethionine (18%).
“Furthermore, the algae are rich in selenium and cyanobacterial selenium, which was found to exist as selenite (2%) and selenomethionine (18%) [25].”
From Application of Arthrospira platensis for Medicinal Purposes and the Food Industry: A Review of the Literature (2023) · cites this paper as [25]
The Results report that selenite accounted for 2% of total selenium in selenium-fortified Spirulina. They also report that a further 18% eluted at the elution volume of selenomethionine, but do not establish that all of that fraction was selenomethionine. The measurements concern fortified algae, not Spirulina generally. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSe-deficiency in rats can be alleviated by oral supplementation with Se-rich Arthrospira (spirulina), as indicated by increased activity of Se-containing glutathione peroxidase in the kidneys and liver.
“Se-deficiency in rats can be alleviated by oral supplementation with Se-rich Arthrospira (spirulina), as indicated by increased activity of (Se-containing) glutathione peroxidase in the kidneys and liver (Cases et al. 2001).”
From Algae as nutritional and functional food sources: revisiting our understanding. (2017) · cites this paper as Cases et al. 2001
Increases in glutathione peroxidase activity were greater in rats supplied selenite or selenomethionine than with the same dosage of Se-rich cyanobacterium.
“However, increases in this enzyme activity were greater in rats supplied selenite or selenomethionine (more reactive species) than with the same dosage of Se-rich cyanobacterium, likely due to lower bioavailability of the cyanobacterial Se.”
From Algae as nutritional and functional food sources: revisiting our understanding. (2017) · cites this paper as Cases et al. 2001
Se readily bioaccumulates in algae.
“Se readily bioaccumulates in algae (Cases et al. 2001; Fournier et al. 2005), and Se-deficiency in rats can be alleviated by oral supplementation with Se-rich Arthrospira (spirulina), as indicated by increased activity of (Se-containing) glutathione peroxidase in the kidneys and liver (Cases et al. 2001).”
From Algae as nutritional and functional food sources: revisiting our understanding. (2017) · cites this paper as Cases et al. 2001
The lower increase in glutathione peroxidase activity with Se-rich cyanobacterium is likely due to lower bioavailability of the cyanobacterial Se.
“likely due to lower bioavailability of the cyanobacterial Se.”
From Algae as nutritional and functional food sources: revisiting our understanding. (2017) · cites this paper as Cases et al. 2001
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“Furthermore, the algae are rich in selenium and cyanobacterial selenium, which was found to exist as selenite (2%) and selenomethionine (18%) [25].”
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- Authors
- Cases, J., Napolitano, A., Caporiccio, B., Besançon, P., Rouanet, J.-M., Vacchina, V., & Lobinski, R.
- Affiliations
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Rouanet, Jean-Max
- ORCID
- Cases, Julien
- Venue
- The Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2001-09
- Volume
- 131
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 2343-2350
- ISSN
- 0022-3166 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1895339080
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Selenium in Biological Systems
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Toxicology › Organoselenium and organotellurium chemistry
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Trace Elements in Health
- Keywords
- selenium bioavailability, sodium selenite, selenomethionine, selenium deficiency, glutathione peroxidase, selenium speciation, selenoproteins
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Bacterial Proteins, Biological Availability, Glutathione Peroxidase, Male, Selenium, Selenomethionine, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Sodium Selenite, Rats, Spirulina
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