In children with congenital hypothyroidism who are already taking levothyroxine, taking a selenium supplement for three months lowers thyroglobulin levels by about 74%, but does not change the amounts of thyroid hormones in the blood or the ratio between T4 and T3.

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Pro

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

37

Community contributions welcome

37

Selenium decreases thyroglobulin concentrations but does not affect the increased thyroxine-to-triiodothyronine ratio in children with congenital hypothyroidism.

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2001 Mar

Giving kids with underactive thyroids a small selenium supplement made their thyroid gland less overworked (lower thyroglobulin) without changing the hormones in their blood, meaning it helped calm the thyroid itself, not how the body uses the medicine.

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

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Source Study

Selenium decreases thyroglobulin concentrations but does not affect the increased thyroxine-to-triiodothyronine ratio in children with congenital hypothyroidism.

Score: 37

DOI: 10.1210/JCEM.86.3.7312

Similar Assertions

Giving children with congenital hypothyroidism selenium supplements at 20–60 mcg per day for three months does not change the levels of thyroid hormones T4 and T3 in their blood, or the ratio between them.

37

0

92%

Children born with an underactive thyroid who take levothyroxine medication show different levels of certain thyroid-related substances in their blood compared to children with normal thyroid function, including lower selenium, T3, and thyroglobulin, and higher TSH, reverse T3, and T4.

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0

91%

Taking 200 micrograms of selenium daily for a year raises selenium levels in the blood of adults with autoimmune hypothyroidism who are on levothyroxine, but it does not change how efficiently the body converts thyroxine into triiodothyronine.

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87%

Taking selenium supplements daily for a year does not lower the amount of levothyroxine that adults with autoimmune hypothyroidism need to take to manage their thyroid hormone levels.

79

0

85%

In people with autoimmune hypothyroidism taking levothyroxine, taking 200 micrograms of selenium daily for a year may lower levels of thyroid peroxidase antibodies by about 19% compared to a placebo, but it does not change the required dose of thyroid hormone or the balance between free triiodothyronine and free thyroxine.

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85%