Vitamin E Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin E, including details on benefits, dosage, supplements, antioxidants. | ||||||||
|
The effects of dietary vitamin E and selenium deficiencies on plasma thyroid and thymic hormone concentrations in the chicken.Chang WP, Combs GF, Scanes CG, Marsh JA Protein Studies Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA. Beginning at hatching, male Cornell K strain single comb white leghorn chickens were fed a basal diet, with or without vitamin E (100 IU/kg) and/or selenium (Se, 0.2 ppm). After 3 weeks of treatment, animals fed either the Se-deficient or basal diet had significantly reduced plasma Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase activities when compared to those fed a vitamin E and Se-supplemented diet. Similarly, animals fed the vitamin E-deficient or basal diet had significantly reduced plasma alpha-tocopherol levels. The effect of these treatments on plasma concentrations of thyroid hormones (T(3)/T(4)), growth hormone (GH), and thymic hormone (thymulin) was determined using radioimmunoassay and ELISA. A deficiency in Se, but not in vitamin E, resulted in an increase in plasma T(4) concentrations while plasma T(3) concentrations were decreased. Plasma GH levels showed some fluctuation as a result of the dietary treatments but there was no significant correlation between plasma GH levels and any of the other variables. A significant decrease in plasma thymulin levels was observed in Se-deficient birds compared to those receiving adequate Se in the diet. A vitamin E deficiency had no measurable effect on plasma thymulin levels. From these studies, we conclude that plasma thymulin concentrations directly correlate with plasma T(3) concentrations which are negatively affected by a Se deficiency. Published 1 December 2004 in Dev Comp Immunol, 29(3): 265-73.
© 2004-2008 Vitamin E Research Today. All Rights Reserved. |
| ||||||
