Effect of selenium pre-treatment on plasma antioxidant vitamins A (retinol) and E (α-tocopherol) in static magnetic field-exposed rats
Ghodbane S, Amara S, Arnaud J, Garrel C, Faure H, Favier A, Sakly M, Abdelmelek H · 2011
View Original AbstractStatic magnetic field exposure significantly depleted protective antioxidant vitamins in rats, but selenium supplementation prevented this cellular damage.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to static magnetic fields (128 mT) for one hour daily over five days and found significant depletion of antioxidant vitamins A and E in the blood, indicating oxidative stress. However, when rats were pre-treated with selenium supplements for 30 days, these harmful effects were prevented. This suggests that magnetic field exposure can overwhelm the body's natural antioxidant defenses, but proper nutrition may offer protection.
Why This Matters
This study adds important evidence to our understanding of how magnetic fields affect cellular health at the biochemical level. The 128 mT exposure used here is considerably stronger than typical household sources (which range from 0.1-1 mT near appliances), but it's comparable to what you might encounter near MRI machines or certain industrial equipment. What makes this research particularly valuable is that it demonstrates both harm and protection - showing that magnetic fields can deplete critical antioxidant vitamins that protect our cells from damage, while also revealing that selenium supplementation can counteract these effects. The reality is that oxidative stress underlies many chronic diseases, from cardiovascular problems to premature aging. While we can't always avoid EMF exposure in our modern world, studies like this suggest that supporting our body's antioxidant systems through proper nutrition may be one practical strategy for protection.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 128 mG
- Exposure Duration
- 1 h/day during 5 consecutive days
Exposure Context
This study used 128 mG for magnetic fields:
- 6.4Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 1.3Mx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
In the present study, we evaluate the effect of the co-exposure to static magnetic field (SMF) and selenium (Se) on the antioxidant vitamins A and E levels and some other parameters of oxidative stress in rat.
Sub-acute exposure of male adult rats to a uniform SMF (128 mT, 1 h/day during 5 consecutive days) i...
Our investigation demonstrated that sub-acute exposure to SMF induced oxidative stress, which may be prevented by a pretreatment with selenium.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2011_effect_of_selenium_pretreatment_370,
author = {Ghodbane S and Amara S and Arnaud J and Garrel C and Faure H and Favier A and Sakly M and Abdelmelek H},
title = {Effect of selenium pre-treatment on plasma antioxidant vitamins A (retinol) and E (α-tocopherol) in static magnetic field-exposed rats},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1177/0748233711401261},
url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0748233711401261},
}