June 24, 2026European Heart Journal135 citationsOpen Access
View Full PaperBlood pressure and blood selenium: a cross-sectional and longitudinal population study
Key Points
- This research aimed to evaluate the relationship between blood selenium levels and blood pressure in a Flemish population, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.
- Randomly recruited 710 subjects with a mean age of 48.8 years.
- Measured blood pressure and blood selenium levels, conducting follow-up on blood pressure outcomes.
- Included multivariate-adjusted cross-sectional and prospective analyses.
- A 20 microg/L increase in blood selenium linked to a 2.2 mmHg decrease in systolic BP (P = 0.009).
- Men with higher baseline selenium showed a 37% lower risk (P = 0.001) of developing high-normal BP or hypertension over the follow-up period.
- No significant associations were found in women.
Abstract
AIMS: Western Europeans have low blood levels of selenium (BSe), an antioxidant trace element. In a Flemish population, we investigated the cross-sectional and longitudinal association of blood pressure (BP) with BSe. METHODS AND RESULTS: We randomly recruited 710 subjects (mean age 48.8 years; 51.8% women). We measured BP and BSe and kept participants in follow-up for BP. At baseline, systolic/diastolic BP averaged (SD) 130/77 (17.3/9.2) mmHg. BSe was 97.0 (19.0) microg/L. Of 385 participants with normal baseline BP (or=140/90 mmHg). In multivariate-adjusted cross-sectional analyses of men, a 20 microg/L ( approximately 1 SD) higher BSe was associated with lower BP with effect sizes of 2.2 mmHg systolic (95% CI -0.57 to -5.05; P = 0.009) and 1.5 mmHg diastolic (95% CI -0.56 to -2.44; P = 0.017). In prospective analyses of men, a 20 microg/L higher baseline BSe was associated with a 37% (95% CI -52 to -17; P = 0.001) lower risk of developing high-normal BP or hypertension. None of these associations was significant in women. CONCLUSION: Deficiency of selenium might be an underestimated risk factor for the development of high BP in European men.