Affiliations: Laboratoire "Nutrition, Vieillissement et Maladies
Cardio-vasculaires", Université Joseph Fourier, Domaine de la Merci, La
Tronche, France | Laboratoire Physiologie des Adaptations, Performance
Motrice et Santé, Université de Nice-Sophia-Antipolis,
France
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Irène Margaritis,
Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de
Nice-Sophia-Antipolis, 261 Route de Grenoble, BP 3259, 06205 Nice Cedex 3,
France. Tel.: +33 4 92 29 65 02; Fax: +33 4 92 29 65 49; E-mail:
Irini.Margaritis@unice.fr
Abstract: Selenium requirements in athletes are supposed to be increased with
energy expenditure (EE) to preserve selenium status and an optimal antioxidant
balance. The question of whether selenium intakes are related to EE and whether
plasma selenium status induces up-regulation in erythrocyte endogenous
antioxidant defense and decreases plasma oxidative damage markers in athletes
was addressed. 118 well-trained athletes completed 7 d food and activities
records in a cross-sectional study. Blood was sampled on day 8. Among the
athletes, 23% of the males and 66% of the females had selenium intakes below
two-third of the French RDA. Plasma selenium concentrations in most of less
trained athletes were lower than the postulated concentration to be required to
maximize erythrocyte GSH-Px activity. Athletes with the highest daily EE had
the highest selenium intakes, percentage of vegetal protein intakes and plasma
selenium concentrations. Only 2.6% of the athletes exhibited low plasma
selenium concentrations (< 0.75 μmol/l). The relation between plasma
selenium and EE was polynomial (r = 0.50; P < 0.005). Erythrocyte GSH-Px
activity in athletes was not linked to selenium status. Selenium requirements
are increased in athletes without being linearly related to EE.
