Effect of low selenium (Se) status on the ability of swimming was studied in mice. Male weanling ddY mice were fed a basal Se-deficient diet (Se content: <0.01μg/g) or the basal diet supplemented with Se at a level of 0.08 μg/g or 0.32 μg/g as sodium selenite for 4 weeks. After then, each dietary group was divided into further 2 groups; control group and swimming group. Mice in the swimming groups were loaded with swimming in a constant stream (7 L/min) of water at 34°C once per day for consecutive 7 days. In the load of swimming, the end point was a moment to sink for 7 seconds and time from the start to the end point was recorded as an ability of swimming. Mice fed the Se-deficient diet showed remarkably low hepatic glutathione peroxidase activities. The load of swimming made a significant increase of plasma lipid peroxide concentration in the Se-deficient group. However, hemoglobin contents were not varied with the selenium status or the load of swimming and the abilities of swimming were not varied with the selenium status; the effect of Se status on the swimming ability was not clear in the present study.
