Can selenium pills help your thyroid? Maybe not — and they might hurt.
Clinical Outcomes of Selenium Supplementation in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Without Selenium Deficiency: A Large‐Scale Retrospective Cohort Study
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Selenium supplementation increased psoriasis risk by 169% — nearly tripling it.
Selenium is often promoted as anti-inflammatory, yet it dramatically increased a chronic skin autoimmune disease — the exact opposite of what was assumed.
Practical Takeaways
If you have Hashimoto's and aren't diagnosed with selenium deficiency, stop taking selenium supplements until you consult your doctor and get tested.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Selenium supplementation increased psoriasis risk by 169% — nearly tripling it.
Selenium is often promoted as anti-inflammatory, yet it dramatically increased a chronic skin autoimmune disease — the exact opposite of what was assumed.
Practical Takeaways
If you have Hashimoto's and aren't diagnosed with selenium deficiency, stop taking selenium supplements until you consult your doctor and get tested.
Publication
Journal
Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
Year
2026
Authors
Eman A Toraih, Sarah Yaghi, C. Ardis, Lori Tran, Ahmed Abdelmaksoud, R. Elshazli, Mohammad H. Hussein, Hinali Patel, E. Elmorsy, Jessan A. Jishu, H. Aiash, Manal S. Fawzy
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Claims (6)
Taking selenium supplements is associated with lower levels of antibodies that attack the thyroid in people diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease.
For adults with Hashimoto's thyroiditis who have normal selenium levels, taking selenium supplements does not lower thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) or stop the condition from worsening to overt hypothyroidism, and may cause TSH levels to rise over time.
In people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis who have normal selenium levels, taking selenium supplements daily for six months or longer is linked to sustained increases in thyroid antibodies and hormone levels over five years.
Among adults with Hashimoto's thyroiditis who have normal selenium levels, taking selenium supplements has been linked to a higher chance of developing other autoimmune conditions, including Sjögren's syndrome, over five years.
Among adults with Hashimoto's thyroiditis who have normal selenium levels, taking selenium supplements may be linked to a 63% higher chance of dying from any cause over five years, even though there is no evidence it increases the risk of thyroid cancer or the need for thyroid surgery.