Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Selenium Level in Plasma

Abstract

Moderate and high aerobic exercises are the activities that can induce high oxidant. Demand
of endogen and exogen antioxidant for neutralizing oxidant induced by exercise will play
important role in maintaining body performance. Microtrace elements, such as selenium,
may able to balance high oxidant formation. However, limited research and data have been
collected with regards to the exercise and selenium. Therefore, this research was conducted
to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on selenium level in plasma. An analytic study
with experimental method of data collection was performed from October -November 2016.
17 male students with the age between 19-25 years old and without medically compromised
disease from Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, were selected as subjects. Blood samples
were taken pre- and post-aerobic exercise, i.e., brisk walking with the intensity of 4.5 mi/h.
Selenium level in plasma was then examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
kit as selenium binding protein (SELENBP1). This study found that 11 (65%) subjects
had a decrease in their selenium plasma after exercise (3.1 ± 2.58 ng/ml), 5 (29%) subjects
had an increase in their selenium plasma after exercise (2.08 ± 2.8 ng/ml) and 1 (6%) subject
had unchanged selenium (SELENBP1) plasma (1.4 ± 1.4 ng/ml) level. Effect of aerobic
exercise on selenium level in plasma varied among individuals.

Keywords: aerobic exercise, selenium, young adult