ALTERATIONS OF SELENIUM STATUS, ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME-ACTIVITIES, AND LEVEL OF LIPID-PEROXIDATION FOLLOWING DRINKING CURES IN BAD HALL

61 spa patients, predominantly with heart and vascular diseases, were divided into 2 therapeutic groups. In addition to the usual balneotherapeutic program, one group (J) received a course of ''iodine brine concentrate'' for drinking (2 x 100 ml, daily iodine uptake similar to 9 mg), and the control group (Cl) received isotonic NaCl in the same way. The patients were mostly on a reduced-fat and -calorie diet. The following parameters were determined at the beginning and at the end of the 26-day treatment period: total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoprotein (a) (in serum); selenium (Se), malondialdehyde (MDA), and activities of Se-dependent, Se-independent, and total glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) (in plasma). In the J group, a significant increase was found in Se independent (+ 17%) and total GSH-PX(+ 5%) and a significant decrease in total cholesterol(- 6.9%) and MDA(- 13.2%). At the end of the cure, Se levels were higher in the J group than in the Cl group. The only significant change in the Cl group was a decrease in HDL-cholesterol. Positive correlations were found between selenium and Se-dependent GSH-PX (r = 0.253) and between total GSH-PX and Se-dependent GSH-PX (r = 0.665). A negative correlation was obtained between Se-dependent and Se-independent GSH-PX (r = - 0.331). The results are discussed with regard to the importance of antioxidant defense mechanisms in several degenerative diseases (atherosclerosis, diabetes, cataract etc.), and also respecting interactions between iodine and selenium metabolism, as well as normalization effects conditioned by the balneotherapy itself. It is concluded from the data that a balneotherapeutic iodine supply can contribute to an improvement of the protective mechanisms combating free-radical-induced, atherogenic or otherwise-damaging lipid peroxidations.