Data published inย Frontiers in Nutritionโย indicated that 12 weeks of supplementation with 200โmicrograms per day of selenium also increased total antioxidant capacity and reduced levels of MDA (malondialdehyde), a marker of oxidative stress.
โTo the best of our knowledge, this was the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the effect of selenium supplementation on clinical and physiological outcomes of patients with migraine,โ the researchers wrote.
Seleniumโ
Selenium is an essential micronutrient and is considered to be an antioxidant. The mineral is included in 25 selenoproteins in the body, with diverse roles including immune support, thyroid function and healthy sperm. The issue for selenium, as for other nutrients, is that you can get too much of a good thing.
Data from prospective studies have reported potential risk reductions for a number of cancers for selenium, and it is the only mineral that qualifies for a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved qualified health claim for general cancer reduction incidence.
A review paper by Joyce McCann and Bruce Amesโย from the Nutrition and Metabolism Center at Childrenโs Hospital Oakland Research Institute in Oakland (CHORI) indicated that moderate deficiency in selenium may have long-term detrimental effects (FASEB Journalโ, 2011, Vol. 25, pp. 1793-1814).
The new study by scientists from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences suggests that selenium may also have a role to play in migraines, linked to its antioxidative effects.
Study detailsโ
The Iranian researchers recruited 72 people who suffer from migraines and randomly assigned them to receive either selenium supplements (200 micrograms per day in the form of selenomethionine) or placebo for 12 weeks.
Results showed that not only did total antioxidant capacity increase and MDA levels decrease, compared to placebo, but there was also a significant reduction in levels of nitric oxide (NO).
โNO, an oxidant vasodilator, is increased in the platelets, urine and plasma of patients with migraine, which participates in trigeminovascular inflammation and also accelerates pain in the central nervous system,โ ย the researchers explained.
โMoreover, elevated levels of lipid peroxidation metabolites such as MDA have been observed in migraineurs during headache attacks. For this reason, improvements observed regarding the frequency and severity of headaches can be explained by alleviating neurogenic inflammation and oxidative stress.โ
The data also revealed that the frequency and severity of headaches decreased in the selenium group, but no improvements were reported for the duration of headaches.
Additionally, no differences between the groups were observed for mental health measures, such as depression, anxiety and distress.
The researchers called for future clinical trials to replicate these results and also to elucidate the optimal dosage for selenium supplementation.
Source:ย Frontiers in Nutritionโ
2024, Volume 11, doi:ย 10.3389/fnut.2024.1369373โ
โThe effect of selenium supplementation on oxidative stress, clinical and physiological symptoms in patients with migraine: a double-blinded randomized clinical trialโ
Authors: A. Balali et al.