Selenium – Thyroid – Hashimoto’s. How does selenium affect the thyroid gland?

Selenium? Check, a trace element that is essential for our body.

Thyroidgland ? Check, a hormone gland below our larynx and is extremely important for our energy metabolism.

Hashimoto? Here it gets a little more difficult for a short time, but this refers to the pathologist and surgeon Hakaru Hashimoto, who around 1912 first spoke of the Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s disease, which is now named after him. This is an autoimmune disease that leads to chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland (thyroiditis).

So we know what these three buzzwords mean. But what do they have to do with each other? The key is selenium.

Hence the key question: How does selenium affect the thyroid gland? Let’s look at that.

Selenium for the thyroid gland

The thyroid gland accumulates a lot of selenium. There, the heavy metal plays a decisive role in the production of thyroid hormones. Thyroxine (T4) is converted to triiodthyronine (T3) and is also a component of thyroxine 5′-diodinase (T5).

This reconstruction is caused by the Deiodases. Again, these are selenium-dependent enzymes.

With a selenium deficiency, this T5 is missing, which in turn is needed to convert T4 to T3. Thus, more thyroxine remains, which is less effective in metabolism than triiodthyronine.

In short: If the thyroid gland lacks selenium, your metabolism works worse. Hypothyroidism occurs – hypothyroidism.

In addition, oxygen radicals and peroxides are released during the production of thyroid hormones. You probably know them under the more common term of oxidative stress.

With normal supply, this is neutralized by the selenium-containing peroxidases. If, on the other hand, you suffer from a selenium deficiency, it lacks these enzymes. This can cause damage to the cells. The probability of thyroid carcinomas, i.e. thyroid cancer, increases.

In children, instead of enlargement, this chain reaction can lead to atrophy of the thyroid gland. It shrinks to the end of atrophy.

Overall, therefore, it can be said that selenium contributes to normal thyroid function.

Selenium in the thyroid gland and Hashimoto’s

With Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, you will notice the following symptoms in particular: fatigue, listlessness and a slowed metabolism. Many people in Germany have a predisposition to the disease: one in ten. It affects women 8 times as often as men.

Researchers think that Hashimoto’s disease may also be a possible consequence of selenium deficiency. If selenium is consumed, autoantibodies are formed against the enzyme thyreoperoxidase. If there is a lack of selenium, it happens less.

In addition, research has currently found initial evidence that iodine deficiency struma – a thyroid swelling, also known as goiter – and Hashimoto’s disease can occur more often in selenium deficiency. Hashimoto’s disease is another technical term for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. So you suffer from an underactive thyroid.

In addition, there is evidence that selenium weakens the inflammatory response. However, it is not generally known whether selenium protects against the disease or whether selenium deficiency actually promotes it.

In addition, it is not yet known exactly, which leads to the onset of the disease. There are a few triggers up for debate:

• Familial predisposition (frequent thyroid diseases)
• Stress
• severe courses of viral diseases such as Pfeiffer’s glandular fever or shingles
• a disturbed function of the arn gland
• Environmental effects of foreign cells (microchimerism)
• Polycystic ovaries

In addition, it is currently under discussion whether an excessive iodine supply promotes the disease. It can at least be triggered by very high doses of iodine. Whether e.B. an iodine-containing contrast agent can be the sole trigger, however, is not yet known.

With iodine, selenium comes into play: both together are necessaryto produce the hormones T3 and T4 mentioned above.

Here, in summary, selenium cannot cure Hashimoto’s disease,even though some positive effects on parts of the disease have been noted. Likewise, nothing is yet known about the long-term effect of selenium treatment for Hashimoto’s.

So it is currently rather questionable whether selenium preparations against Hashimoto’s bring anything. Therefore, the standard treatment for the disease continues to be the intake of thyroid hormones.

Nevertheless, with Hashimoto’s disease, it is said to pay more attention to the selenium level. Because the thyroid gland is highly dependent on the nutrient, selenium deficiency often means an exacerbation of Hashimoto’s symptoms. Although specialists do not recommend taking selenium preventively, they strongly recommend compensating for a deficiency.

More selenium for the thyroid gland to lose weight?

It seems obvious: the thyroid gland controls the metabolism, selenium stimulates the thyroid gland, then more selenium must lead to weight loss!?

Not quite. If you suspect that your thyroid is not functioning sufficiently,the first way should be to see your doctor. If an underactive thyroid is then detected, this is very likely the reason for too much weight.

In the case of hypothyroidism, losing weightis not so easy. You then absolutely need the medically prescribed dose of thyroid hormones. Then it’s time to be patient.

Once the energy reserves have been stored in the problem areas, the body defends itself against degradation. In the past, he also needed this to survive. Too fast weight loss is therefore quickly answered with a phenomenon that we have all heard: the yo-yo effect.

Overall, selenium helps with thyroid function,but too much does not necessarily bring more and can also become problematic.

Selenium for the thyroid gland: Yes, but targeted

Selenium acts on the thyroid gland. Selenium also helps the thyroid gland. But too much selenium is just that: too much.

So it is important to pay attention to the selenium level and, if suspected, check with your doctor by means of a blood test to see if there is a deficiency. If such a person is diagnosed, you must either change your diet or resort to supplements. If you eat vegan, it is unfortunately quite difficult about the diet.

If you constantly feel tired and you can’t explain the few kilos in the problem areas, the reason can also lie with your thyroid gland. Also in this case, blood tests help.

Selenium helps here in the usual dose very well. It is not a miracle cure. Nevertheless, a deficiency should not be underestimated, because without selenium, the thyroid gland can not work properly.