Selenium absorption and retention from a selenite- or selenate-fortified milk-based formula in men measured by a stable-isotope technique

• Published in: British journal of nutrition Vol. 85; no. 2; pp. 157 - 163
• Main Authors: Dael, Peter Van, Davidsson, Lena, Muñoz-Box, Rafael, Fay, Laurent B., Barclay, Denis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.02.2001
• Subjects: Absorption; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical nutrition; Cross-Over Studies; Excretion; Feces - chemistry; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Food, Formulated; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infant formulas; Inorganic selenium compounds; Isotopes; Male; Retention; Selenium; Selenium - metabolism; Selenium absorption; Selenium Compounds - metabolism; Selenium fortification; Selenium retention; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Stable isotopes; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Inorganic selenium compounds; Selenium retention; Selenium fortification; Selenium absorption; Stable isotopes; Human; Retention; Inorganic element; Fortified product; Feeding; Micronutrient; Trace element; Absorption; Diet; Selenates; Trace element (nutrient); Technique; Infant formula; Selenites; Isotopes
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1079/BJN2000227

The present study was designed to determine the apparent absorption and retention of the inorganic Se compounds SeO32- and SeO42-, which are commonly used for Se fortification of clinical nutrition products and infant formulas. Ten healthy men were fed a milk-based formula labelled with 40 μg Se as 74SeO32- or 76SeO42- on two consecutive days using a randomised crossover design. Se stable-isotope analysis of 9 d complete collections of urine and faeces was used to calculate apparent Se absorption and retention. Se retention from 74SeO32- (41·0 (SD 8·4) %) AND FROM 76SEO42- (46·0 (sd 7·9) %) was not significantly different (P>0·05). However, Se absorption was significantly higher from SeO42- than from SeO32- (91·3 (sd 1·4) % v. 50·2 (sd 7·8) %, P<0·05). Urinary excretion of the administered dose was 9·2 (sd 1·8) % for 74SeO32- and 45y3 (sd 8·2) % for 76SeO42- (P<0·05). Urinary Se excretion kinetics differed significantly for the two Se compounds; 90 % of the total urinary Se was excreted after 121 h for 74SeO32- and after 40 h for 76SeO42- (P<0·05). These results suggest that although Se absorption and urinary excretion differ for SeO32- and SeO42-, both Se compounds are equally well retained when administered at a relatively low dose (40 μg Se). The nutritional impact of Se fortification of foods would thus be expected to be similar when SeO42- or SeO32- are used.