Does selenium help with Hashimoto's thyroiditis?
Insufficient evidence to support the clinical efficacy of selenium supplementation for patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Thyroid antibody reductions were transient and inconsistent—TgAb only dropped at 12 months in levothyroxine users, and TPOAb improvements vanished after 12 months in non-users.
Most people assume if antibodies drop, the immune system is 'calmed' long-term—but this shows the effect is fleeting and unreliable.
Practical Takeaways
Stop taking selenium supplements for Hashimoto's unless your doctor recommends it for a specific deficiency.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Thyroid antibody reductions were transient and inconsistent—TgAb only dropped at 12 months in levothyroxine users, and TPOAb improvements vanished after 12 months in non-users.
Most people assume if antibodies drop, the immune system is 'calmed' long-term—but this shows the effect is fleeting and unreliable.
Practical Takeaways
Stop taking selenium supplements for Hashimoto's unless your doctor recommends it for a specific deficiency.
Publication
Journal
Endocrine
Year
2021
Authors
Yuxuan Qiu, Z. Xing, Qiao Xiang, Qianru Yang, Jingqiang Zhu, A. Su
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.
In adults with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, taking selenium supplements may lead to changes in how the thyroid appears on ultrasound, but these changes do not result in better thyroid hormone levels or reduced symptoms.
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.
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.
Taking selenium supplements does not change the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in adults with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, whether or not they are taking levothyroxine.