Carbon Chemist

Tag: Selenium

  • Study explores health benefits of selenium and zinc-enriched eggs

    Study explores health benefits of selenium and zinc-enriched eggs

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    In a recent study published in Nutrients, researchers investigated the effect of a diet of selenium- and/or zinc-enriched eggs (SZE) on oxidative stress, cognitive impairment, and intestinal flora in D-galactose-induced aging mice. They found that the SZE diet could reduce organ damage and improve cognitive function in mice models by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota.

    Study: Selenium- and/or Zinc-Enriched Egg Diet Improves Oxidative Damage and Regulates Gut Microbiota in D-Gal-Induced Aging Mice. Image Credit: Timolina/Shutterstock.com
    Study: Selenium- and/or Zinc-Enriched Egg Diet Improves Oxidative Damage and Regulates Gut Microbiota in D-Gal-Induced Aging Mice. Image Credit: Timolina/Shutterstock.com

    Background

    The aging process involves an irreversible structural and functional decline influenced by genetics and the environment. It is characterized by an imbalance in reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to cellular aging and age-related diseases. The essential trace elements selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) have shown anti-aging effects linked to their roles in reducing ROS and combating oxidative stress. Although the individual roles and pathways of Se and Zn have been studied in mitigating the effects of aging, their combined effects of Se and Zn remain underexplored.

    Eggs, recognized for their high nutritional value, contain essential nutrients like proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, and trace minerals, contributing significantly to the human diet and health. SZE represents an innovative approach to enhance mineral potency, with potential health benefits attributed to active substances like ovalbumin, ovoglobulin, and phosphatide. However, our understanding of SZE’s nutritional functions and biological activities is currently limited. Therefore, researchers in the present study aimed to explore the chemical composition of SZE and assess their potential efficacy in mitigating aging-related oxidative stress and inflammation, and promoting gut health in model mice.

    About the study

    Egg powders were developed from SZE and normal eggs (NE), and their composition was analyzed. Mineral content in the eggs was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In the in vivo analysis, 70 male Kunming mice were randomized into seven groups (n = 10 each). The groups were as follows: the control group (Con) was given 0.9% saline, the model group (Mod) given 0.9% saline, the low-dose SZE group (SZLE), the high-dose SZE group (SZHE), the ordinary eggs group (OE), the DL-Selenomenthionine group (SeM), and the ZnSO4 group (ZnSO4). All groups except Con were injected with D-galactose to induce aging.

    Maze-based spontaneous alternation and cognitive function tests were conducted on the mice. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for levels of total superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were measured.

    After an 8-week intervention, behavioral analysis, fasting, and euthanasia, tissues of the brain, liver, and duodenum, as well as cecum contents, were collected and analyzed. The organ index was calculated as the weight of the organ divided by body weight. Se and Zn content of the organs was measured.

    Acetylcholine (Ach), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and protein concentrations were measured in the brain tissue. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels were measured in the liver tissue using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genomic DNA was extracted from the cecum contents, and the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (16S rRNA) region was amplified.

    Results and discussion

    While the moisture, lipid, and ash content were found to be similar in SZE and NE, the protein, sugar, Se, Zn, iron, manganese, molybdenum, magnesium, and phospholipid content of SZE was found to be higher than NE. Total cholesterol and other heavy metals were found to be lower in SZE than NE. Se was majorly enriched in the albumen, while Zn was enriched in the yolk.

    In the in vivo analysis, researchers found that although the body weight of mice in Con and Mod groups increased initially, at the end of eight weeks, Mod mice showed reduction in organ index, indicating organ atrophy. This effect was attenuated in the groups SZE, OE, SeM, ZnSO4, SZLE, and SZHE groups.

    Se and Zn were majorly enriched in the brains of all the mice, and the levels varied across groups. The Mod group had significantly low levels of SOD and GSH-Px and significantly higher levels of MDA as compared to Con. The alternation rate and dwelling time in the new maze-arm were found to be significantly lower in the Mod groups as compared to Con. As measured by Ach and AChE levels, SZE was found to improve brain dysfunction induced by D-galactose. Similarly, based on interleukin, AST, and ALT levels, SZE intervention was also found to lower D-galactose-induced hepatic impairment and inflammation.

    Further, the microbiota of all the groups was found to be very different. SZE helped maintain the balance of intestinal flora by significantly increasing the ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota. The levels of Blautia were found to correlate with inflammatory markers and antioxidant levels.

    Conclusion

    The findings of the study demonstrate the promising role of SZE diet in mice, alleviating oxidative stress and improving gut microbiota balance. Further research exploring the therapeutic application of SZE diet in humans is warranted.

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  • The impact of drinking water quality on mental health and the modifying role of diet

    The impact of drinking water quality on mental health and the modifying role of diet

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    In a recent study published in BMC Medicine, researchers estimate how exposure to various trace elements in drinking water increases the risk of depression and anxiety.

    Study: Association between drinking water quality and mental health and the modifying role of diet: a prospective cohort study. Image Credit: New Africa / Shutterstock.com

    Background

    Mental health disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, remain a leading cause of both disability and premature death throughout the world. Following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the prevalence of both anxiety and depression throughout the world rose by about 25%, thus exemplifying the widespread prevalence of these mental diseases.

    Several factors may increase an individual’s risk of depression or anxiety, including genetics, social environment, and physical environment. Within the physical environment, exposure to heavy metals like cadmium has been shown to increase the risk of depression and anxiety, whereas other elements like manganese, copper, and selenium, all of which combat oxidative stress, have the potential to reduce the risk of depression.

    To date, most studies investigating the impact of environmental risk factors on the incidence of depression and anxiety have been cross-sectional. Within China, few longitudinal studies have examined how exposure to metal and nonmetal elements in drinking water may impact the risk of depression and anxiety.

    About the study

    In the present study, researchers identified people diagnosed with depression and anxiety from the Yinzhou district using International Classification of Disease codes F32 and F41, respectively, in data retrieved from the Yinzhou Health Information System (YHIS). Atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) was used to measure manganese, zinc, copper, iron, aluminum, cadmium, selenium, and fluorine levels in tap water samples collected from 37 sites in the Yinzhou district. 

    Water samples were collected four times each year, with at least one sample collected each season. Exposures were assigned to participants based on their residential addresses and the location of tap water collection sites. Daily exposure to all trace elements in drinking water was calculated and adjusted based on the daily drinking water intake of participants, as well as their age and gender.

    A baseline survey was administered to collect data on participants’ frequency of consuming leafy vegetables, meat, fruits, and fish, with their intake of these dietary components categorized as low, moderate, or high. Data on sociodemographic status, lifestyle, and medical history were also acquired.

    Study findings

    The final analysis included 24,285 individuals between 2016 and 2021 without a history of depression or anxiety. From these individuals, 765 and 1,316 depression and anxiety cases, respectively, were reported during a median follow-up period of 4.72 and 4.68 years, respectively.

    Females, as well as those who never smoked or drank, were more likely to have depression, in addition to a greater risk of hypertension, dyslipidemia, cancer, and stroke. Comparatively, females, less educated individuals, older individuals, never drinkers, non-smokers, and those with a lower income were more likely to have anxiety, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cancer, and stroke, in addition to lower levels of seafood and meat consumption.

    Exposure to aluminum in drinking water was more commonly reported in individuals diagnosed with depression, whereas exposure to manganese, iron, and aluminum in drinking water was higher in individuals with anxiety. Individuals with anxiety were also exposed to lower levels of zinc as compared to healthy participants.

    Long-term exposure to zinc, iron, aluminum, selenium, and fluorine did not impact the risk of depression. Likewise, long-term exposure to zinc, copper, aluminum, cadmium, and fluorine did not increase the risk of anxiety.

    Diet did not have a significant effect on the relationship between the risk of depression and manganese, copper, and cadmium exposure in drinking water. However, the risk of anxiety was greater in individuals who consumed less fruits, more seafood, and meat and who were also exposed to manganese and iron in drinking water. Long-term exposure to copper, selenium, and fluorine was also associated with a greater risk of anxiety in individuals who consumed less leafy vegetables and fruits.

    Lower socioeconomic level was associated with increased exposure to heavy metals, particularly copper, in drinking water. Additionally, older, low-income, and less educated individuals who were exposed to cadmium in drinking water were also at a greater risk of depression.

    Higher education levels were more commonly observed in anxious individuals who were exposed to manganese and selenium in drinking water. Comparatively, exposure to iron in drinking water was also more common in older and less educated individuals with anxiety.

    Conclusions

    The present study findings underscore the need to improve the quality of drinking water and adopt healthy dietary habits to reduce the burden of depression and anxiety, as these measures may contribute to the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety. Public health policies should also address the inequitable effect of exposure to various trace elements in drinking water in relation to the increased risk of mental diseases among people in low socioeconomic strata. 

    Journal reference:

    • Zhou, S., Su, M., Shen, P. et al. (2024). Association between drinking water quality and mental health and the modifying role of diet: a prospective cohort study. BMC Medicine 22(53). doi:10.1186/s12916-024-03269-3

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