Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 16, 2025 1 hour, 48 minutes ago
Medical News: A Simple Mineral Drawing Big Scientific Attention
A new scientific review is shining a spotlight on selenium, a trace mineral often overlooked in everyday diets but now recognized as a powerful biological regulator in inflammatory bowel disease or IBD. Conducted by researchers from the Institute of Clinical Physiology at the National Research Council in Pisa Italy, the study highlights how selenium influences inflammation control, immune stability, and gut tissue repair. As this
Medical News report reveals, many individuals with Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis carry significantly lower selenium levels than the general population.
Selenium Emerging as a Key Weapon Against Inflammatory Bowel Disease
How Selenium Shields the Intestinal Lining
Selenium works mainly through selenoproteins, specialized proteins that help protect intestinal cells from oxidative stress. This stress occurs when harmful reactive oxygen molecules build up and damage the gut barrier. In IBD patients, these molecules accumulate rapidly due to chronic inflammation. The review explains that low selenium levels weaken the activity of key selenoproteins such as GPX1, GPX2, GPX3 and GPX4. GPX2 is especially important in the gastrointestinal tract, rising when inflammation increases to help neutralize damaging compounds. GPX4 prevents severe lipid peroxidation inside intestinal cells, a mechanism increasingly linked to Crohns disease progression.
Research findings show strong associations between selenium deficiency and higher markers of disease activity, including increased C reactive protein levels and more extensive tissue damage. Several clinical observations also reveal that patients with severe IBD have notably lower selenium concentrations compared to those with milder forms.
Immune Regulation and Microbiota Support
The review also uncovers how selenium influences immune behavior. Without adequate selenium, macrophages shift toward a more aggressive inflammatory role while anti-inflammatory responses weaken. Selenium additionally supports T cell development, helping maintain a balanced immune system that does not overreact to harmless gut triggers.
Equally important is the relationship between selenium and gut microbiota. Patients with low selenium often show reduced microbial diversity and increased levels of harmful bacteria such as Escherichia Shigella. Higher selenium intake, however, encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria that produce short chain fatty acids essential for barrier repair and healthy digestion.
Promising Advances in Selenium Nanoparticle Therapy
A particularly exciting development highlighted in the study is the use of selenium nanoparticles. These engineered particles deliver selenium with high bioavailability and reduced toxicity. Early animal research shows they strengthen the gut barrier, reduce oxidative stress, lower inflammation and shift gut bacteria toward protective species.
Conclusions
The growin
g body of scientific evidence indicates that selenium is far more influential in IBD than previously understood. It supports antioxidant defenses, steadies immune responses and helps maintain a healthier gut microbiome. While more human trials are needed, the findings point toward selenium as a meaningful complementary strategy for Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis management. With deeper research, selenium-based therapies may eventually become an important addition to long term IBD care.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Antioxidants
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/11/1299
For the latest on Inflammatory Bowel Disease, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/gastroenterology
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/supplements
Share
Tweet
Share
