Does Selenium lower antibody levels?

[megaloo]

Does anyone know whether selenium supplements can lower thyroid antibody levels?  I read it in "Living Well With Hypo" and my naturopath has recently put me on a multi-vit with extra selenium and I want to know if anyone has ever heard of this working.

Thanks!

[GravesLady]

Selenium has effects are on the T-3 (T-3 and T-4 conversion) and Selenium is also essential for healthy immune functioning.  In a placebo-controlled study, supplementation with 200 mcg per day of selenium for three months reduced anti-thyroid antibody levels (indicating a reduction in disease activity) in people with autoimmune thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland).
However, I believe that I read that there is on scientific or not enough data to support this theory.

An early toxic effect of selenium is disruption of endocrine function, including synthesis of thyroid hormones (T3). Selenium has been suggested to improve inflammatory activity in chronic autoimmune thyroiditis or Grave's disease Further research is needed before a clear conclusion can be drawn.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-selenium.html
Dietary sources of selenium include brewer's yeast, wheat germ, butter, garlic, grains, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, raisins, liver, kidney, shellfish (lobster, oyster, shrimp, scallops), fresh-water and salt-water fish (red snapper, salmon, swordfish, tuna, mackerel, halibut, flounder, herring, smelts). Selenium is also found in alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, fennel seed, ginseng, raspberry leaf, radish, horseradish, onion, chives, medicinal mushrooms (reishi, shiitake), and yarrow.