The Study
Selenium supplementation in the management of thyroid autoimmunity during pregnancy: results of the “SERENA study”, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
This study gave some pregnant women selenium pills and others fake pills to see if selenium lowered harmful antibodies. It found that the selenium group had lower antibodies after birth. But it didn't prove that selenium stops thyroid problems — just that it changed a lab number.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
When pregnant women with thyroid antibodies took a daily selenium pill, their immune system became less aggressive toward their thyroid after giving birth — unlike those who took a sugar pill.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 567 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this means selenium may help prevent postpartum thyroid damage in women prone to autoimmune thyroid disease.
- 2Selenium group: TgAb dropped to ~20, TPOAb to ~255; Placebo group: TgAb rose to ~151, TPOAb to ~441.
- 3Selenium levels stayed high 6 months after birth.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Endocrine
Year
2019
Authors
Giovanna Mantovani, Andrea M. Isidori, Costanzo Moretti, C. Dato, Ermanno Greco, P. Ciolli, Marco Bonomi, L. Petrone, Angela Fumarola, Giuseppe Campagna, G. Vannucchi, S. Sante, C. Pozza, A. Faggiano, Andrea Lenzi, E. Giannetta
Related Content
Claims (6)
Taking selenium supplements is associated with lower levels of antibodies that attack the thyroid in people diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease.
When pregnant women take a daily supplement of 83 micrograms of L-selenomethionine, their blood selenium levels rise significantly and remain higher than those of women taking a placebo, even six months after giving birth.
Taking selenium supplements during pregnancy does not improve or worsen the mother's well-being, pregnancy complications, or baby's health outcomes in women with autoimmune thyroiditis.
In women with autoimmune thyroiditis, levels of thyroid autoantibodies typically drop during pregnancy and rise again after childbirth unless selenium is taken, which may help prevent this increase.
Taking 83 micrograms of L-selenomethionine daily during pregnancy and for six months after childbirth is associated with lower levels of specific antibodies targeting the thyroid in women with autoimmune thyroiditis, compared to those taking a placebo.
Taking 83 micrograms of L-selenomethionine daily during pregnancy does not change thyroid hormone levels, thyroid size, or tissue appearance in women with autoimmune thyroiditis. This suggests the supplement affects immune markers related to the thyroid without altering thyroid structure or function.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.