ArticleMedical hypotheses2020
Selenium supplementation in the prevention of coronavirus infections (COVID-19).
Article in Medical hypotheses, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 95 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
95 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 183 citations in OpenAlex.
- COVID-19 and Selenium Deficiency: a Systematic Review.Biological trace element research · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Prediction of survival odds in COVID-19 by zinc, age and selenoprotein P as composite biomarker.Redox biology · 2021Trial
- Trace Elements and Viral Infectious Diseases: Dual Roles in Pathogenesis and Immunity.Infectious disease reports · 2026Review
- Systematic Review of the Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Systems and Society-The Role of Diagnostics and Nutrition in Pandemic Response.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Antioxidant Nutraceuticals: Their Adjunct Role in the Management of COVID-19 Infections and Post-COVID Syndrome.Infectious disorders drug targets · 2025Review
- The Role of Vitamins, Magnesium, and Trace Elements in COVID-19 Treatment and Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation: An Updated Overview.Current medicinal chemistry · 2025Review
- The role of reactive oxygen species in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection-induced cell death.Cellular & molecular biology letters · 2024Review
- Is Micronutrient Supplementation Helpful in Supporting the Immune System during Prolonged, High-Intensity Physical Training?Nutrients · 2024Review
- Correlation between essential metals and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection.Indian journal of pharmacology · 2024Article
- Metabolomics-directed nanotechnology in viral diseases management: COVID-19 a case study.Pharmacological reports : PR · 2023Review
- Zinc and selenium status in coronavirus disease 2019.Biometals : an international journal on the role of metal ions in biology, biochemistry, and medicine · 2023Review
- The role of cell death in SARS-CoV-2 infection.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2023Review
- Antimicrobial and anti-viral effects of selenium nanoparticles and selenoprotein based strategies: COVID-19 and beyond.Journal of drug delivery science and technology · 2023Review
- Targeted Application of Functional Foods as Immune Fitness Boosters in the Defense against Viral Infection.Nutrients · 2023Review
- Effect of Organic Selenium on the Homeostasis of Trace Elements, Lipid Peroxidation, and mRNA Expression of Antioxidant Proteins in Mouse Organs.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- Could Selenium Supplementation Prevent COVID-19? A Comprehensive Review of Available Studies.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Natural Ingredients to Improve Immunity.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- COVID-19 Severity Is Associated with Selenium Intake among Young Adults with Low Selenium and Zinc Intake in North Carolina.Current developments in nutrition · 2023Article
- An overview on role of nutrition on COVID-19 immunity: Accumulative review from available studies.Clinical nutrition open science · 2023Review
35 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Selenium (Se) is a ubiquitous element akin to sulfur (S) existing in the Earth crust in various organic and inorganic forms. Selenium concentration varies greatly depending on the geographic area. Consequently, the content of selenium in food products is also variable. It is known that low Se is associated with increased incidence of cancer and heart diseases. Therefore, it is advisable to supplement diet with this element albeit in a proper form. Although blood increased concentrations of Se can be achieved with various pharmacological preparations, only one chemical form (sodium selenite) can offer a true protection. Sodium selenite, but not selenate, can oxidize thiol groups in the virus protein disulfide isomerase rendering it unable to penetrate the healthy cell membrane. In this way selenite inhibits the entrance of viruses into the healthy cells and abolish their infectivity. Therefore, this simple chemical compound can potentially be used in the recent battle against coronavirus epidemic.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.