An Overview of the Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Selenium

Selenium, whose name comes from the Greek word for “Selene,” has been a topic of interest as a micronutrient ever since it was described in 1817 as a by-product of sulfuric acid manufacturing. Selenium, the most important micronutrient for both humans and animals, must be consumed daily to support the body’s natural metabolism and homeostasis. The small intestine is responsible for the absorption of selenium in both its organic and inorganic forms. Selenium is then able to be widely distributed throughout the body’s diverse tissues, where it plays an important role in the regulation of the synthesis of selenoproteins. The synthesis of human selenoproteins involves the incorporation of a selenium-containing homolog of cysteine in each of the 25 selenium-containing proteins that make up this series. Many selenoproteins, including glutathione peroxidase (GPX), thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), and iodothyronine deiodinases (IDD), function as crucial cellular defenses against oxidative stress. Therefore, selenium is extremely important in boosting antioxidant defense. Recent studies have also shown that there is a close relationship between selenium and inflammation, and that selenium has regulatory effects on inflammation by affecting the expression of various cytokines. This chapter’s goal was to thoroughly review the research on how selenium is related to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.