The Role of Selenium in Mitigating Inflammatory Cytokine Responses After Intense Physical Activity in Recreationally Active Students

Intense or unaccustomed exercise can induce muscle damage and systemic inflammation, as reflected by increases in interleukin-6 (IL-6) and creatine kinase (CK). Selenium, an essential trace element with antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, may attenuate these responses, yet evidence in recreationally active populations is limited. This study investigated whether 14 days of selenium supplementation (200 µg/day L-selenomethionine) could mitigate post-exercise IL-6 and CK elevations in recreationally active male university students. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 64 healthy males aged 18–21 years, who were randomly assigned to the selenium (SEL, n = 32) or placebo (PLA, n = 32) groups. After supplementation, participants performed a standardized eccentric plyometric protocol, and blood samples were collected pre-exercise and at 24 and 48 hours post-exercise for IL-6 and CK assessment. Both markers increased significantly after exercise in all participants (p < 0.001), but the rises were attenuated in the selenium group, which also showed faster recovery compared with placebo. Significant group × time interactions were observed for both IL-6 and CK (p < 0.001), indicating a differential response over time. These findings suggest that short-term selenium supplementation provides dual protective effects by reducing inflammation and preserving muscle integrity, highlighting its potential as a nutritional strategy to enhance recovery in recreationally active individuals. Further research with larger and more diverse populations is warranted.