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| Selenium and The Sickle Cell Disease |
Research
has shown that when there is a low level of selenium in patients with SCD, it
results in the destruction of red blood cells, which in other words is called
hemolysis. In response to this finding, the health experts who carried out this
research, highly recommend that SCD patients include selenium-rich foods in
their dieting.
Hemolysis,
which is a result of a deficiency in selenium in SCD patients can cause
Oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is an imbalance in the production and
clearance of toxic free radicals. It can also be referred to as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).
Nutrients
like zinc, selenium, vitamin A, E and C forms an antioxidant defence mechanism
which inhibits the production of ROS as well as oxidative damage in fats. These
specific nutrients, selenium inclusive, also supports the activity of enzymes
that are key to the inhibition of ROS production.
Selenium
is a component of amino acid selenocysteine and is an active constituent of
glutathione peroxidase helps maintain the antioxidant activity of an enzyme that protects haemoglobin from oxidation and red blood cells. Selenium
is also key in the development and maturation of erythrocytes, which acts as
defence against the damage caused by oxidation.Selenoneine, an antioxidant that
is derived from selenium, found present in the blood of bluefin tuna, has been
a subject of scientific and biological experiments due to its potential roles
in chronic and inflammatory diseases, oxidative damages and methylmercury
detoxification.
In a research
conducted by a team from Universidade do
Estado Rio de Janeiro in Brazil discovered that “low serum
concentrations of selenium were directly associated with hemolytic events,
which may aggravate the condition of these patients and results in more severe
complications.”Sickle Cell Disease News2019, Sickle Cell Patients’ Diet Should Be Rich in Selenium, Researchers Say,
Another
scientist from the team said, “an adequate intake (of selenium) may probably
improve SCD patients’ clinical status. Thus, we recommend the inclusion of an
increased amount of selenium-rich foods in their diet.”
The
following food types are rich in selenium;
- ·
Dairy
products
- ·
Organ
meats
- ·
Cereals
- ·
Other
grains
- ·
Seafood
- ·
Mushrooms
- ·
Nuts
- ·
Barley
- ·
Beer
- ·
Butter
- ·
Brewer’s
yeast
- ·
Brown
rice
- ·
Cabbage
- ·
Chicken
- ·
Cider
vinegar
- ·
Cinnamon
- ·
Clams
- ·
Vegetables
- ·
Onions
etc
- The Brazil nuts are one of the richest sources of selenium diets. Selenium can also be found in organic compounds like dimethyl selenide, selenomethionine and methyl selenocysteine.
- Selenium can be toxic if it is taken in excess, exceeding 400 micrograms per day. Some of the harmful effects of excess selenium include;
- ·
Hair
loss
- ·
Fatigue
- ·
Neurological
damage
- ·
Garlic
odour
- ·
Gastrointestinal
disorders etc.
Aside
lack of intake of nutrients rich in selenium, deficiency of selenium can also
be traced to increased renal excretion of SCD patients and tubular
reabsorption, which can lead to a loss of nutrients due to the repeated
sickling process of red blood cells.
The
role of selenium goes beyond a protective antioxidant. It also increases the activity of the transcription factor
GATA-1 (GATA-binding protein 1).Its deficiency can be responsible for
erythroid differentiation, and inhibits the transportation of heme in the
erythroblastic islands.
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