Selenium is an essential nutrient. Selenium carries out its biological functions through selenoproteins. The liver converts dietary selenium to a form that can be used to make selenoproteins. Patients with cirrhosis have much lower selenium levels than healthy individuals. We hypothesize that patients with cirrhosis are unable to utilize dietary selenium for selenoprotein synthesis. These patients may benefit from another form of selenium: selenate.~We will compare the effects of two supplemental forms of selenium on plasma selenium levels in patients with cirrhosis. Patients will be randomized to receive either a placebo, 200 µg selenomethionine, 200 µg selenate or 400 µg selenate, daily, for 8 weeks. We will measure selenium levels in the blood at baseline, week 4 and week 8. We will determine which forms of selenium, if any, increased plasma selenium levels of the cirrhosis patients.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether patients with liver cirrhosis can improve their selenium nutritional status by taking supplemental selenium.