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Strong Support

Taking selenium supplements may temporarily lower levels of certain thyroid antibodies in some people, but these changes are not consistent and do not last over time, regardless of whether the person is also taking levothyroxine.

39
Pro
0
Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

39

Community contributions welcome

39

Insufficient evidence to support the clinical efficacy of selenium supplementation for patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis
2021 Aug

Taking selenium pills can lower some thyroid antibodies for a little while, but the effect doesn’t last and varies depending on whether people are also taking thyroid hormone medicine. It doesn’t fix the underlying problem long-term.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Insufficient evidence to support the clinical efficacy of selenium supplementation for patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis

Score: 39
DOI: 10.1007/s12020-021-02642-z

Similar Assertions

Taking selenium supplements may lower levels of thyroid peroxidase antibodies in adults with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis who are already taking levothyroxine, with the greatest reduction seen at six months. However, it does not change thyroid-stimulating hormone levels or improve symptoms related to the condition.

39
0
90%

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.

79
0
87%

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

72
59
86%

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
84%

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.

50
0
83%