Why your thyroid might need more zinc and selenium
The TSH-Dependent Variation of the Essential Elements Iodine, Selenium and Zinc within Human Thyroid Tissues
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Thyroid tissue in patients with marginal iodine and selenium deficiency still had nutrient levels within normal reference ranges.
Most people assume low dietary intake = low tissue levels, but the thyroid appears to hoard these minerals even when the body is deficient—like a savings account during a recession.
Practical Takeaways
If you have Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism, consider testing your zinc levels—even if your iodine and selenium are fine.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Thyroid tissue in patients with marginal iodine and selenium deficiency still had nutrient levels within normal reference ranges.
Most people assume low dietary intake = low tissue levels, but the thyroid appears to hoard these minerals even when the body is deficient—like a savings account during a recession.
Practical Takeaways
If you have Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism, consider testing your zinc levels—even if your iodine and selenium are fine.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology
Year
1998
Authors
G. Bellisola, P. Brätter, G. Cinque, G. Francia, S. Galassini, D. Gawlik, V.E. Negretti De Brätter, L. Azzolina
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Claims (6)
Most cases of hypothyroidism occur because the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, and the thyroid naturally holds more selenium than most other tissues in the body.
In people with thyroid disease, the levels of iodine, selenium, and zinc in thyroid tissue are typically within the range seen in earlier studies, even though the general population may have slightly low levels of iodine and selenium.
In people with thyroid diseases, higher levels of TSH in the blood are linked to lower amounts of iodine, selenium, and zinc in the thyroid tissue, indicating that thyroid function may be related to the balance of these trace elements.
Patients with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis have lower levels of zinc in their thyroid tissue compared to patients with other thyroid conditions such as multinodular goiter, adenoma, or cancer.
In patients with mild deficiencies of iodine and selenium, the levels of these elements in thyroid tissue change in ways that relate to the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone present, suggesting that nutrient levels and thyroid activity are linked in diseased tissue.