People with lower levels of selenium in their blood are more likely to have autoimmune thyroid disease than those with normal selenium levels, according to a study of 134 individuals in India.

People with autoimmune thyroid disorders tend to have lower levels of selenium in their blood compared to people without these disorders, based on measurements from a study of 134 individuals in India.

In a study of people from India, 20.9% of those with autoimmune thyroid disease had low selenium levels, compared to only 2.99% of people without the disease.

People with autoimmune thyroid disease tend to have lower levels of selenium in their blood, whether their thyroid is underactive or overactive. This suggests the low selenium levels are linked to the autoimmune condition itself, not to whether the thyroid is producing too much or too little hormone.

People with autoimmune thyroid disease who have low selenium levels tend to have higher levels of certain antibodies that target the thyroid, compared to those with normal selenium levels.

Taking selenium supplements is associated with lower levels of antibodies that attack the thyroid in people diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease.