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The effect of selenium supplementation on disease activity and immune-inflammatory biomarkers in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

European Journal of Nutrition volume 62, pages 3125–3134 (2023)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Selenium (Se) supplementation may help reduce inflammation and disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. We investigated the therapeutic effects of Se administration in cases with mild-to-moderate active UC.

Methods

A multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trial (RCT) was conducted on 100 cases with active mild-to-moderate UC. The patients were randomly allocated to be given an oral selenomethionine capsule (200 mcg/day, n = 50) or a placebo capsule (n = 50) for 10 weeks. The primary outcome was defined as disease activity via the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI), and secondary outcomes were measured at the end of the study.

Results

After 10 weeks, the SCCAI score's mean was reduced in the Se group (P < 0.001). At the end of the intervention, clinical improvement (decline of 3 ≥ score from baseline score) was observed in 19 patients (38%) of the Se group and 3 patients (6%) of the placebo group. The patients with clinical remission (defined as SCCAI ≤ 2) were assigned in the Se group (P = 0.014). The Se group’s quality of life and Se serum levels were enhanced at the end of the study (P < 0/001). In the Se group, the mean concentration of interleukin-17 decreased (P < 0/001). However, the levels of interleukin-10 showed no considerable change between the two groups in the 10th week (P = 0.23).

Conclusion

Se supplementation as add-on therapy with medical management induced remission and improved the quality of life in patients with active mild-to-moderate UC.

Trial registration number and date of registration

IRCT20091114002709N51; 2020-04-13.

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Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to security issues but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This study with research code (33894) was funded by the Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Maryam Khazdouz & Farzad Shidfar

  2. Growth and Development Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Maryam Khazdouz

  3. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Naser Ebrahimi Daryani & Foroogh Alborzi

  4. Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Makan Cheraghpour & Shaghayegh Baradaran Ghavami

  5. Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

    Motahareh Hasani

  6. Colorectal Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Farzad Shidfar

Authors
  1. Maryam Khazdouz
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  2. Naser Ebrahimi Daryani
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  3. Makan Cheraghpour
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Correspondence to Farzad Shidfar.

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Khazdouz, M., Daryani, N.E., Cheraghpour, M. et al. The effect of selenium supplementation on disease activity and immune-inflammatory biomarkers in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eur J Nutr 62, 3125–3134 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03214-9

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