Effects of different selenium sources and levels on serum biochemical parameters and tissue selenium retention in rats

Abstract

A total of 54 femaleWistar rats were allotted to nine treatments by weight and fed basal diet or diets containing Se of 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, or 0.20 mg·kg−1 diet provided with either Se yeast or sodium selenite for 10 days. The results showed the following: (1) Selenium yeast had better effects compared with sodium selenite on increasing serum superoxide dismutase activities (P<0.05). Addition of Se yeast or sodium selenite increased the activities of serum gluthathione peroxidase (P<0.01); (2) According to slope ratio assay, the bioavailability of Se from Se yeast was 132.1%, 205.7%, 140.0%, and 107.2% of that from sodium selenite when glutathione peroxidase activities and Se contents in serum, kidney, and liver were used as indicators. It is concluded that Se from Se yeast has higher bioavailability than Se from sodium selenite.