Antioxidants Plus Selenium Studied for Nasal Health

The antioxidant vitamins A, C and E plus selenium were recently evaluated for their role in nasal mucosal health. The mucosa that lines the nasal cavity and sinuses can form grape-like out-pouches due to imbalanced inflammatory processes. Often, this lack of optimal inflammatory response is related to immune hypersensitivity reactions.

The subjects in this study included 34 individuals with nasal mucosal growths. The subjects received conventional therapy or conventional therapy plus vitamins A, C, E and selenium. At the beginning of the study and again after supplementation, the subjects were evaluated with paranasal computed tomography (CT) scans, endoscopy, nasal tissue samples, and blood tests for markers of oxidative stress including malondialdehyde, the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase, nitrite and myeloperoxidase.

The data showed that both the conventional therapy-only and the conventional therapy plus antioxidant groups had lower tissue parameters, CT scores, and serum malondialdehyde levels after supplementation compared to the evaluation at the beginning of the study. However, the conventional therapy plus antioxidant group had lower tissue malondialdehyde levels and a greater reduction in tissue and serum malondialdehyde levels as compared to the conventional therapy-only group.

The researchers stated that serum and tissue levels of malondialdehyde (an oxidative marker) were significantly decreased by adding antioxidants to standard therapy, and there is a positive effect by adding antioxidants to conventional therapy for nasal mucosal growths.

Reference:

Sagit M, Erdamar H, Saka C, Yalcin S, Akin I. Effect of antioxidants on the clinical outcome of patients with nasal polyposis. J Laryngol Otol. 2011 Jun 14:1-5.