The association of selenium exposure with the odds of metabolic syndrome: a dose-response meta-analysis

Abstract Background Selenium is a key regulator of metabolic homeostasis. It has been proposed that exposure to selenium might be associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the results are contradictory. This meta-analysis was carried out to analyze the relationships between selenium levels...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rongrong Yuan, Yu Zhang, Jiakai Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:BMC Endocrine Disorders
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12902-025-01858-8
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850029348457807872
author Rongrong Yuan
Yu Zhang
Jiakai Han
author_facet Rongrong Yuan
Yu Zhang
Jiakai Han
author_sort Rongrong Yuan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Selenium is a key regulator of metabolic homeostasis. It has been proposed that exposure to selenium might be associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the results are contradictory. This meta-analysis was carried out to analyze the relationships between selenium levels in biological samples and odds of Mets. Methods We searched Scopus and PubMed databases up until September 2024 to identify relevant studies. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval was used to pool the data using a random effects model. Results The meta-analysis encompassed 18 observational studies involving 21,481 participants. It found that higher selenium exposure was related to an elevated likelihood of MetS (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.12–1.51), even after controlling for covariates, such as smoking, age, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. Heterogeneity was significant among the studies (I² = 88.9%, P = 0.001). While elevated serum selenium levels linked to a higher odds of MetS, no such relationship was observed for selenium in urine or toenails. Subgroup analyses indicated that this association was evident only in females (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.17–1.43) and particularly pronounced in individuals aged ≥ 50 years. A dose-response relationship was identified, showing a 6% increase in MetS odds for each additional 10 µg/L of serum selenium, with the odds rising non-linearly when serum levels surpassed 80 µg/L. Conclusions This study suggests that selenium may associated with the odds of MetS, following a dose-response relationship.
format Article
id doaj-art-cfe3fbdc5dae4752adce9214307c766d
institution DOAJ
issn 1472-6823
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Endocrine Disorders
spelling doaj-art-cfe3fbdc5dae4752adce9214307c766d2025-08-20T02:59:32ZengBMCBMC Endocrine Disorders1472-68232025-02-0125111410.1186/s12902-025-01858-8The association of selenium exposure with the odds of metabolic syndrome: a dose-response meta-analysisRongrong Yuan0Yu Zhang1Jiakai Han2Department of Endocrinology, Huaihe Hospital of Henan UniversityDepartment of Nephrology, Huaihe Hospital of Henan UniversityDepartment of Endocrinology, Huaihe Hospital of Henan UniversityAbstract Background Selenium is a key regulator of metabolic homeostasis. It has been proposed that exposure to selenium might be associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the results are contradictory. This meta-analysis was carried out to analyze the relationships between selenium levels in biological samples and odds of Mets. Methods We searched Scopus and PubMed databases up until September 2024 to identify relevant studies. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval was used to pool the data using a random effects model. Results The meta-analysis encompassed 18 observational studies involving 21,481 participants. It found that higher selenium exposure was related to an elevated likelihood of MetS (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.12–1.51), even after controlling for covariates, such as smoking, age, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. Heterogeneity was significant among the studies (I² = 88.9%, P = 0.001). While elevated serum selenium levels linked to a higher odds of MetS, no such relationship was observed for selenium in urine or toenails. Subgroup analyses indicated that this association was evident only in females (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.17–1.43) and particularly pronounced in individuals aged ≥ 50 years. A dose-response relationship was identified, showing a 6% increase in MetS odds for each additional 10 µg/L of serum selenium, with the odds rising non-linearly when serum levels surpassed 80 µg/L. Conclusions This study suggests that selenium may associated with the odds of MetS, following a dose-response relationship.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12902-025-01858-8SeleniumDose-responseMetabolic syndromeMeta-analysis
spellingShingle Rongrong Yuan
Yu Zhang
Jiakai Han
The association of selenium exposure with the odds of metabolic syndrome: a dose-response meta-analysis
BMC Endocrine Disorders
Selenium
Dose-response
Metabolic syndrome
Meta-analysis
title The association of selenium exposure with the odds of metabolic syndrome: a dose-response meta-analysis
title_full The association of selenium exposure with the odds of metabolic syndrome: a dose-response meta-analysis
title_fullStr The association of selenium exposure with the odds of metabolic syndrome: a dose-response meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed The association of selenium exposure with the odds of metabolic syndrome: a dose-response meta-analysis
title_short The association of selenium exposure with the odds of metabolic syndrome: a dose-response meta-analysis
title_sort association of selenium exposure with the odds of metabolic syndrome a dose response meta analysis
topic Selenium
Dose-response
Metabolic syndrome
Meta-analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12902-025-01858-8
work_keys_str_mv AT rongrongyuan theassociationofseleniumexposurewiththeoddsofmetabolicsyndromeadoseresponsemetaanalysis
AT yuzhang theassociationofseleniumexposurewiththeoddsofmetabolicsyndromeadoseresponsemetaanalysis
AT jiakaihan theassociationofseleniumexposurewiththeoddsofmetabolicsyndromeadoseresponsemetaanalysis
AT rongrongyuan associationofseleniumexposurewiththeoddsofmetabolicsyndromeadoseresponsemetaanalysis
AT yuzhang associationofseleniumexposurewiththeoddsofmetabolicsyndromeadoseresponsemetaanalysis
AT jiakaihan associationofseleniumexposurewiththeoddsofmetabolicsyndromeadoseresponsemetaanalysis