SUMMARY In a study of selenium status in 391 apparently healthy subjects resident in the south of England statistical examination of the data showed a significant effect with regard to age, smoking, alcohol, and oral contraceptives. The most important of these factors seems to be a combination of alcohol and smoking habits in men over 30. Reference ranges have been established for glutathione peroxidase activities and the concentrations of selenium in whole blood plasma and erthrocytes. The purpose of this study was, firstly, to establish reference ranges for concentrations of Se and GSH-Px activities in blood for apparently healthy adults living in the south of England and, secondly, the data have been analysed to determine the effect of several factors including smoking, alcohol, and the pill. Subjects and methods SUBJECTSA total of 391 apparently healthy subjects living within a 30 mile radius of Southampton volunteered for the study. They were asked whether they were vegetarians and, for women, whether they were taking an oral contraceptive. Details of their alcohol consumption and smoking habits were recorded according to the method of Shaper et al."' Table 1 gives full details. METHODSHaematological parameters were obtained using a Coulter S Plus. Initial experiments had shown that the activity of GSH-Px in blood remained stable at 4°C and -20°C for at least five days. Samples for GSH-Px activity were therefore stored at 4°C and' assayed within 48 hours of collection using an LKB reaction rate analyser, by the method described by Beutler17 using t-butyl hydroperoxide as substrate.

SUMMARY Fasting blood samples taken from 116 apparently healthy men aged 30-50 years were assayed for selenium, glutathione peroxidase activity, vitamin E, cadmium, lead, glucose, lipids, and albumin. Blood pressure was measured in each subject, and details of height, weight, smoking habits, and alcohol consumption were recorded.Multivariate analysis of the data showed that the decrease in blood and serum concentrations of selenium and the increase in whole blood cadmium concentrations in the cigarette smokers was independent of alcohol consumption. There was no correlation between blood selenium concentrations or glutathione peroxidase activities and the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Neither alcohol consumption nor smoking had an effect on the vitamin E concentrations. There was a strong association, however, between vitamin E and serum lipid concentrations, although the increase in triglyceride concentrations in the smokers was not matched by a comparable increase in vitamin E. The possible role of selenium in the aetiology of heart disease remains unresolved.

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