The Importance of Selenium for Thyroid and Overall Health
Today, I want to discuss a key nutrient that is crucial not only for thyroid health but also for overall well-being: selenium.
What is Selenium?
Selenium is an essential trace element and antioxidant with several important roles in the body, including:
- Synergistic Action with Vitamin E: It works together with vitamin E to support healthy growth and fertility, protect normal cell function, and enhance energy production.
- Immune System Support: Selenium helps strengthen the immune system.
- Promotes Healthy Blood Flow: It encourages proper blood circulation.
- Enhances Well-Being: Selenium contributes to overall feelings of wellness.
- Detoxification: It assists in processing foods and aiding in detoxification.
- Thyroid Health: Selenium can reduce thyroid antibodies, supporting thyroid function.
Selenium and Thyroid Function
In the thyroid, selenium plays a critical role in converting the inactive thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) into the biologically active triiodothyronine (T3), which is essential for the body's metabolism. This conversion mainly occurs in the liver, where selenium works in synergy with iodine. Selenium also protects thyroid cells from oxidative damage due to it's role in detoxification.
Detoxification Role: Selenium acts as an antioxidant by neutralizing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a by-product of the T4 to T3 conversion process. Without sufficient selenium, hydrogen peroxide can build up, leading to oxidative stress and inflammation. This balance between selenium and iodine is crucial because excessive iodine can increase hydrogen peroxide production, necessitating higher selenium levels to mitigate the resulting oxidative damage.
Immune System Impact: Unchecked hydrogen peroxide causes oxidative damage and inflammation in thyroid tissues, attracting white blood cells (WBCs) for cleanup. This process can lead to the formation of antibodies, marking damaged cells for removal. High cell turnover from excess oxidative damage can induce an immune response shift, potentially leading to autoimmunity. Selenium deficiency has been recognized as a risk factor for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and other autoimmune disorders. However, selenium supplementation has shown potential to halt this progression.
Ensuring Adequate Selenium Intake
While food sources are preferred, they may not always be reliable due to soil content of selenium. Rich sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, seafood, meat, poultry, organ meats, cereals, grains, and dairy products. However, soil depletion through poor farming practices and naturally low selenium levels in certain regions can make supplementation necessary. Remember, if it's not in the soil, it's not in your food.
Supplementation Tips:
- Quality Matters: Choose high-quality selenium supplements if dietary intake is insufficient. Supermarket brands are not recommended as they tend to be very low quality. Multivitamins may not be the best solution because they usually won’t contain a therapeutic dose (200 – 400 ug/day).
- Synergistic Nutrients: Pair selenium with vitamin E and amino acids found in eggs, fish, and nuts to improve absorption.
- Avoid Competing Minerals: High doses of zinc or copper can compete with selenium for absorption, so balance is key.
- Consider Myo-Inositol: Inositol is a form of sugar your body naturally produces to provide structure to your cells. It can also be found in certain foods, including meat, fruits, corn, beans, grains and legumes. It can also be taken as a supplement, sometimes referred to as Vit B8. Research suggests that combining selenium with myo-inositol (B8) can enhance thyroid function and reduce thyroid antibodies and TSH levels.
Can You Take Too Much Selenium?
Yes, selenium toxicity is possible, though rare. Toxicity levels vary from person to person. Symptoms can include gastrointestinal disturbances, hair loss, changes in nails, fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, irritability, garlic-smelling breath, fever, nausea, and a jaundiced skin tint. Severe toxicity can affect the liver, kidneys, and heart, which makes sense due to the effect of selenium on those organ systems.
Take-Home Message
Monitor your selenium and iodine levels through blood tests and supplement if necessary. Ensuring adequate selenium intake is essential for both thyroid health and overall well-being. By understanding the role of selenium and maintaining a balanced intake, you can support your body’s vital functions and protect against autoimmune disorders.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need personalized advice on maintaining optimal selenium levels for your health.