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Influence of Ascorbic Acid on Selenium Nutrition in the Chick

Department of Poultry Science, Auburn University and Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama 36830

Experiments were conducted to determine the nature of the effect of dietary ascorbic acid on selenium nutrition in the chick. Results showed that ascorbic acid resulted in increased activities of the selenium-containing enzyme glutathione peroxidase in plasma, accompanied by an apparent reduction in the dietary selenium requirement of the vitamin E-deficient chick. The ascorbic acid contents of plasma, liver, kidney and adrenals were not affected by selenium or vitamin E deficiencies, indicating that selenium-vitamin E deficient chicks are not rendered scorbutic. Absorption experiments using ligated duodenal loops or oral doses indicated that dietary ascorbic acid promoted the enteric absorption of selenium but did not affect the absorption of vitamin E. These results support the hypothesis previously reported that factors which inhibit the oxidation of dietary selenium promote its absorption and, perhaps, its post-absorptive utilization in metabolically active components of the cell.

KEY WORDS: • ascorbic acid • selenium • glutathione peroxidase • vitamin E • absorption

¹ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed: present address: Department of Poultry Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853.

Manuscript received 25 August 1975.