Influence of selenium supplementation on carbohydrate metabolism and oxidative stress in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus

Background: In the presence of conflicting advice about the relationship between selenium-type II diabetes-oxidative stress trio, this study aimed to assess the consequences of selenium supplementation on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level, antioxidant activities of selenodependent and non-selenodependent enzymes, and other markers of oxidative stress studied for the first time during gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: This research was carried out among 180 pregnant Algerian women, 60 of whom were in good health, 60 women with GDM did not take supplements, and 60 women with GDM took selenium orally (50 mg/d) for 12 weeks starting from their second trimester of pregnancy. Blood samples were taken in order to assay FPG level and oxidative stress markers.

Results: Selenium supplementation during GDM has demonstrated its hypoglycemic power in the significant decline of FPG level, and its antioxidant properties in the significant reinforcement of antioxidant activities of erythrocyte selenodependent enzymes (glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase), the significant increase in erythrocyte catalase and superoxide dismutase activities simultaneously with the highest decrease in erythrocyte and plasma malondialdehyde levels. This decrease was only significant for plasma carbonyl proteins, which was not the case for erythrocyte carbonyl proteins.

Conclusions: The recourse to selenium supplementation by seleno-deficient pregnant women with GDM is beneficial for maternal health. This micronutrient exploits its antioxidant and insulin-mimetic properties in the maintenance of blood glucose homeostasis and the fight against oxidative stress, and consequently, its supplementation delays the occurrence of GDM complications.

Uvod: Svesni različitih saveta koji se daju u vezi sa međusobnim odnosom selena, dijabetesa tipa II i oksidativnog stresa, ova studija je imala za cilj da oceni uticaj suplementacije selena na nivo glukoze u plazmi u stanju gladovanja (FPG), antioksidantne aktivnosti enzima koji zavise i koji ne zavise od selena, kao i na druge markere oksidativnog stresa koji su proučavani po prvi put tokom gestacijskog dijabetesa melitusa (GDM).

Metode: Ovo istraživanje je sprovedeno na uzorku od 180 trudnica iz Alžira, od kojih je 60 bilo dobrog zdravlja, 60 žena sa GDM koje nisu uzimale suplemente, i 60 žena sa GDM-om sa oralnom suplementacijom selena (50 mg/d) u periodu od 12 nedelja počev i od drugog trimestra. Nivo FPG i markeri oksidativnog stresa su određeni iz krvi.

Rezultati: Suplementacija selena tokom GDM-a je pokazala svoju hipoglikemijsku snagu značajnim padom nivoa FPG, i njegova antioksidativna svojstva značajnim pojačanjem anti oksidativnih aktivnosti eritrocitnih seleno-zavisnih enzima (glutation peroksidaze i glutation reduktaze), značajnim povećanjem aktivnosti eritrocitne katalaze i superoksid dismutaze istovremeno sa visokim smanjenjem nivoa eritrocita i malondialdehida u plazmi. Ovo smanjenje je bilo značajno samo za karbonilne proteine u plazmi, to nije bio slučaj za karbonilne proteine eritrocita.

Zaključak: Suplementacija selena kod trudnica sa deficitom selena koje imaju GDM je korisna za zdravlje majki. Ovaj mikronutrijent koristi svoje antioksidativne i insulin-mimetičke osobine u održavanju homeostaze glukoze u krvi i borbi protiv oksidativnog stresa, a posledično njegova suplementacija smanjuje pojavu komplikacija u vezi sa GDM-om.

Keywords: antioxidant, gestational diabetes mellitus, insulin-mimetic, oxidative stress, selenium; supplementation.