Two common supplements cut heart deaths in half, study shows
A decade-long clinical trial found that elderly patients taking selenium and coenzyme Q10 had roughly half the cardiovascular death rate of those on placebo. The findings suggest that simple, affordable supplements may reduce mortality risk—a potential game-changer for preventive health strategies and pharmaceutical alternatives.
Originaltitel: Increased SIRT1 Concentration Following Four Years of Selenium and Q<sub>10</sub> Intervention Associated with Reduced Cardiovascular Mortality at 10-Year Follow-Up-Sub-Study of a Previous Prospective Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial
<p><em>Background</em>: Selenium and coenzyme Q<sub>10</sub> (SeQ<sub>10</sub>) possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, potentially mediated via Sirtuin1 (SIRT1). We aimed to investigate the influence of a SeQ<sub>10</sub> intervention on SIRT1 concentration, with potential interactions with microRNAs.</p><p><em>Methods</em>: In this sub-study of a prospective double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, healthy subjects (mean age 76 years) were randomized to receive an active treatment (<em>n</em> = 165, combined 200 µg/day of Se and 200 mg/day of Q<sub>10</sub>) or a placebo (<em>n</em> = 161). SIRT1 concentration and microRNAs were measured with ELISA and PCR, respectively. <em></em></p><p><em>Results</em>: After four years, SIRT1 concentration was increased in the active treatment group, with mean (SD) ng/mL of 469 (436) vs. 252 (162), <em>p</em> < 0.001, and decreased in the placebo group, 190 (186) vs. 269 (172), <em>p</em> = 0.002, and the differences between the groups were significant (<em>p</em> = 0.006, adjusted). Those who suffered CV death during a 10-year follow-up (<em>n</em> = 25 and <em>n</em> = 52 in the active treatment and placebo groups, respectively) had significantly lower baseline SIRT1 concentrations compared to the survivors (<em>p</em> < 0.001). MiR-130a-3p was significantly downregulated during the intervention and correlated inversely with SIRT1 at baseline (r = -0.466, <em>p</em> = 0.007). <em></em></p><p><em>Conclusion</em>: The increased SIRT1 concentration after the SeQ<sub>10</sub> intervention associated with reduced CV mortality, partly mediated via miR-1303a-3p, suggests that SIRT1 is an additional mediator of the intervention, preventing vascular ageing.</p>