Why some people with extreme fatigue have a broken thyroid signal
Autoantibodies to selenoprotein P in chronic fatigue syndrome suggest selenium transport impairment and acquired resistance to thyroid hormone
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some people with chronic fatigue have antibodies that block a protein needed to deliver selenium to the body’s thyroid system, which stops the thyroid from making enough active hormone even when selenium levels look normal.
Surprising Findings
Selenium levels in blood were normal in SELENOP-aAb-positive patients, but their kidneys couldn't use it.
Everyone assumes low selenium causes thyroid issues—but here, selenium is present in blood, yet still functionally deficient in tissues due to antibody interference.
Practical Takeaways
If you have CFS and standard thyroid tests are normal, ask your doctor for SELENOP-aAb testing and urinary iodine + SPINA-GD analysis.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some people with chronic fatigue have antibodies that block a protein needed to deliver selenium to the body’s thyroid system, which stops the thyroid from making enough active hormone even when selenium levels look normal.
Surprising Findings
Selenium levels in blood were normal in SELENOP-aAb-positive patients, but their kidneys couldn't use it.
Everyone assumes low selenium causes thyroid issues—but here, selenium is present in blood, yet still functionally deficient in tissues due to antibody interference.
Practical Takeaways
If you have CFS and standard thyroid tests are normal, ask your doctor for SELENOP-aAb testing and urinary iodine + SPINA-GD analysis.
Publication
Journal
Redox Biology
Year
2023
Authors
Qian Sun, E. Oltra, D. Dijck-Brouwer, T. Chillon, P. Seemann, Sabrina Asaad, K. Demircan, José A Espejo-Oltra, Teresa Sánchez-Fito, E. Martín-Martínez, W. Minich, F. Muskiet, L. Schomburg
Related Content
Claims (6)
In people with chronic fatigue syndrome who have specific autoantibodies, selenium in the blood does not correlate with the activity of an enzyme called glutathione peroxidase 3, suggesting that selenium is not reaching the kidneys properly even though overall selenium levels in the body are normal.
People with chronic fatigue syndrome who have specific antibodies targeting selenoprotein P excrete less iodine in their urine than those without these antibodies or healthy individuals, suggesting a reduction in the release of iodide from thyroid hormones caused by decreased deiodinase enzyme function.
In some individuals, immune system proteins called autoantibodies bind to the thyroid gland, reducing its ability to produce hormones and triggering persistent inflammation.
A specific type of antibody that targets selenoprotein P is found in a higher percentage of people with chronic fatigue syndrome than in people without the condition.
People with chronic fatigue syndrome who have autoantibodies targeting selenoprotein P show lower levels of markers indicating thyroid hormone conversion to its active form, compared to those without these autoantibodies.