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Selenium-the nemesis of respiratory diseases

Functional and efficient agriculture LUMING  Middle-aged and elderly health care

Selenium is one of the trace elements necessary for normal physiological activities in humans and animals. It has a unique role in resisting diseases and enhancing the body's immune function. Studies have confirmed that selenium is closely related to respiratory diseases and can effectively prevent and assist the treatment of a variety of respiratory diseases. In the following, the role and efficacy of selenium in the prevention and treatment of asthma, respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer are enumerated.

Asthma

One of the pathogenesis of asthma is that the metabolites produced by peroxides cause bronchial mucosal edema and cause strong contraction of bronchial smooth muscle, causing bronchospasm, airway stenosis, and asthma. Selenium has strong antioxidant and immunoregulatory capabilities. Studies have found that the lower the intake of selenium in a population, the higher the incidence of asthma. After asthma patients were treated with selenium supplements with high-absorption selenium products, clinical symptoms improved and lung function improved significantly.

Respiratory infections

Respiratory tract infections are a common disease that are caused by viral or bacterial infections when the body's immune function is low. Selenium can effectively remove various free radicals generated in the body, inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators, promote the production of antibodies to lymphocytes, enhance the body's immune function, and enhance the activity of macrophages to kill pathogenic microorganisms. Clinically confirmed that selenium supplementation for patients with recurrent respiratory infections

reduces the incidence of respiratory infections and improves their health.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor that seriously threatens people's health and life. It ranks first among cancer deaths worldwide. Selenium plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. Specific manifestations are: ① selenium can control the cell cycle, regulate transcription factors, inhibit DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in cancer cells, thereby inhibiting tumor cell growth; ② selenium can regulate the anti-cancer activity of glutathione peroxidase, Effectively reduce various DNA damage induced by carcinogens, and protect the normal structure of cells and prevent normal cells from mutating into tumor cells; ③ Selenium can reduce the mutagenicity of carcinogens and inhibit tumor neovascularization. At the same time, selenium can also enhance the body's anti-cancer immunity.

Studies have also shown that the incidence and mortality of lung cancer are negatively correlated with selenium levels in the internal and external environment. Daily supplementation of selenium to the population reduces the incidence and mortality of cancer. Among them, the incidence of lung cancer is significantly reduced. In addition, selenium supplementation for lung cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy can reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic inflammation in the airways of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can stimulate the body, generate more free radicals, and cause damage to lung endothelial cells. Function Selenium is an important antioxidant. It is the main component of antioxidant enzymes. It can remove peroxides and protect endothelial cell function. Studies have found that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who have adequate daily selenium supplementation have improved lung function and quality of life compared with those without selenium supplementation.

In addition, clinical studies have also found that the use of selenium combined with anti-drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis is more effective than anti-drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis.

Professor Bai Chunxue Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University Zhang Yong Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University

Preventing respiratory infections

Selenium can promote a variety of metabolic activities in the body, promote protein synthesis, stimulate the synthesis and increase of cyclic nucleotides, effectively remove various free radicals generated in the body, and inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators. Selenium can promote the production of antibodies by lymphocytes, increase the level of blood immunoglobulin or maintain normal, and enhance the body's immune function. Selenium can also significantly enhance the activity of macrophages to kill microorganisms.

Studies have shown that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who have adequate daily selenium supplementation have improved lung function and quality of life compared with those without selenium supplementation. The study also found that children treated with nano-selenium supplementation increased serum IgG and IgA and other immunoglobulins and could alleviate clinical symptoms. Serum levels of selenium and glutathione peroxidase also increased. In children with severe pneumonia who need to stay in the intensive care unit, the prognosis after selenium supplementation is also good.

Prevent lung cancer

Selenium is an anti-cancer agent approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has a certain preventive effect on lung cancer. The anti-cancer mechanism of selenium mainly includes: 1. Inhibition of DNA damage and mutation;

2. Inhibition of telomerase and promotion of apoptosis. In fact, it has long been found that serum selenium levels are significantly lower in lung cancer patients than in normal people. Therefore, there are many studies on selenium in chemoprevention of lung cancer. Some epidemiologists abroad believe that supplementing selenium to people with less than normal selenium levels may reduce the incidence of lung cancer. In vitro experiments have also confirmed that selenium can inhibit the DNA damage of fibroblasts caused by carcinogens such as free silica and nickel: in vitro experiments have also confirmed that selenium has a growth inhibition effect on human lung adenocarcinoma cells.