Selenium is essential for our health. It is an powerful antioxidant and supports our immune system. Furthermore it is vital for the synthesis of many proteins. Even very small selenium deficiency may contribute to the development as well as maintenance of autoimmune thyroid diseases.
Most affected are agricultural areas of Europe and India, China, southern South America, southern Africa and the south-western United States.
Research shows that selenium supplementation improves the inflammatory activity in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis. Selenium rich food sources are seafoods and organ meats.
If you consider taking selenium supplementation, have in mind that for its best absorption is advisable to combine it with vitamin E. Furthermore, avoid inorganic forms which harm the absorption of nutrients.
References:
Roland Gärtner, Barbara C. H. Gasnier, Johannes W. Dietrich, Bjarne Krebs, Matthias W. A. Angstwurm; Selenium Supplementation in Patients with Autoimmune Thyroiditis Decreases Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies Concentrations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002; 87 (4): 1687-1691.
Jones GD, Droz B, Greve P, Gottschalk P, Poffet D, McGrath SP, Seneviratne SI, Smith P, Winkel LHE. Selenium deficiency risk predicted to increase under future climate change; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2017
Rayman MP 2000 The importance of selenium to human health. Lancet 356:233–241
