Is Selenium good for low thyroid?

Thyroid problems affect more people than you probably think. In fact, according to The American Thyroid Association, as many as 20 million Americans have a thyroid condition at any one time, and up to 60% of them are unaware of it. If you think about it, that’s pretty scary. In the process of trying to understand how the thyroid works and how to deal with the diseases and conditions that can affect it, some have made the attempt to connect different nutrients to it. During this process, the mineral selenium has emerged as proving to be an important, vital part of the thyroid’s function. As a result, some in the medical and nutrition communities have conducted studies and written reports and articles about the role of selenium in thyroid conditions, and the extent to which it can help – or not.

First off, let’s talk a little about the thyroid and what can happen to it. The thyroid is a gland located in the lower part of the neck. It’s responsible for producing two kinds of hormones: thyroxine and diiodothyronine, hormones which are important for helping regulate metabolism, growth, and body temperature. There are conditions, however, when the thyroid doesn’t work properly, and that’s when one is considered to have a thyroid disease. When the thyroid under-produces hormones, it’s called hypothyroidism, and when it over-produces hormones, it’s called hyperthyroidism. These conditions can be caused by a number of things, from faulty genes to cancer and nodules, or growths. There are many ways to deal with thyroid conditions, ranging from medicine to surgery and radiotherapy.

What are the symptoms of thyroid problems? They’re many, and can depend on which thyroid condition one has. Hypothyroidism is characterised by a sensitivity to cold, fatigue, weight gain, constipation, dry skin, and muscle weakness. Hyperthyroidism can cause sensitivity to heat, diarrhea, sweating, fatigue, and insomnia.

Hypothyroidism is the subject we’ll be focusing on today. As a condition caused by under-production of hormones, hypothyroidism can cause serious quality-of-life issues. Is there a connection between it and the mineral selenium, whose role has been discussed and studied in the medical community?

It turns out that yes, there is a connection.

Studies about nutrition have determined that selenium is an important part of the diet. It has been determined to have an important role in endocrine and immune system function, as well as metabolism. It also is one of the most crucial elements in thyroid gland function. See, it turns out that the thyroid needs selenium in several ways. The first is as an antioxidant, as the thyroid uses selenium in selenoproteins, or proteins that are incorporated with selenium. These selenoproteins are important for removing excess free oxygen radicals during the production of thyroid hormones, so as antioxidants they are crucial for optimum thyroid function. They also assist in the conversion of hormones, helping in maintaining the balance the gland, and the body, needs to function properly.

As evidence of selenium’s role in thyroid function, it has been observed that low blood serum selenium levels are associated with decreased thyroid function and even thyroid nodules, or small growths which can affect the way it works. In addition, in a 2007 test on pregnant women who were deficient in iodine – another important mineral involved with thyroid function – saw a decrease in hypothyroidism.

Where does selenium come from, and how much do you need? Selenium is most often found in the soil, but it’s also found in animal meat, fish, pasta, cereals, and bread. While selenium deficiency is rare in the Western world (though can be common in other parts of the world), it’s evidently still important. The actual amount the average person needs per day is rather low: 55 micrograms per day in the U.S., and averaging between 40 and 80 micrograms elsewhere in the world. While the amount you need is low, people who don’t get enough meat, bread, or cereals in their diets might have to look out, and if they’re not getting enough, to take a supplement that gives them an adequate amount.

The science of thyroid problems is complex and involved, but there is a clear connection between selenium and hypothyroidism. While some people might take that as a decree to run out and get as much selenium as you can, hold back a little bit. Not only should you not overdo it when it comes to vitamins and minerals, but most importantly you should make sure you have a thyroid issue in the first place. You can’t self-diagnose that: you need to go to a doctor and have yourself tested. That’s the only way you can make sure that you know what’s going on. And if you do have thyroid problems, make sure you speak with your doctor about selenium and see if supplementing with it might be right for you.