Selenium

[Iako]

Dr.Lupo what will be the proper dosage of selenium if both anibodies are very very high? What kind of Selenium I shoud take and when?

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

The studies have used 200mcg of selenomethionine -- most products have this form of selenium.  Not all studies demonstrate a benefit.

[GravesLady]

I take selenium for general health. Selenium is the most important mineral to counter the toxic effects of heavy metals and is necessary for normal functioning of the immune system and thyroid gland. Although I read that there is no scientific or not enough data to support thyroid theory.
  Mercury in silver amalgam fillings uses up selenium for detoxification. High amounts of amalgam fillings may require more selenium.  If you have a known high level of mercury or other toxic metal, consider taking more but don't take over 600 mcg. Start at 100 mcg and work up slowly.  I take 400 to 600 but I have been taking it for years.
Also deficiency has been associated with a variety of cancers.  Selenium can be helpful to a varity of other health issues as well.  Chromium work Selenium and should be taken together for max benefits.  Happy Selenium!

GL,
Thyroid patient

[Iako]

Thank you very much for info it was very helpfull

[AR-10]

I have read several studies on Selenium. Only one of them ran more than three months, and only one of them kept track of TGab.

The studies showed that 200mcg of selenium will help lower TPOab, but not all patients had good results. The only study that monitored TGab found that selenium had no affect on TGab.

The only study that ran longer than three months was a nine month study, and it concluded that at the end of nine months, TPOab levels were rising again, and surmised the benefit may be short term.

Everything I have read indicates taking more than 400mcg per day can lead to a build-up in the body that can become toxic.

Taking 200mcg of selenium a day can lower your TPOab from 20-70%, depending on the person. If you look at the studies available very closely, you will see half the people in the control groups receiving placebos also experienced a drop in TPOab at roughly half the rate of those taking selenium.

If you look at all the studies done, and I looked at five, you will see that the results indicate a need for more studies with larger numbers of participants, and a need for long term tracking, such as yearly evaluations over a five year period.

I'm taking 220mcg of selenium per day, by taking two multi-vitamins. It certainly doesn't hurt, but I have not seen a significant reduction in my TPOab. It was 1,250 two years ago, and six months ago it was ">1,000", which means it is somewhere between 1,001 and a million.

So my feeling is, it can't hurt (unless you take too much), but it may not help.  

[GravesLady]

My information states levels of over 1000 mcg per day of selenium are toxic, but to be on the safe side I wouldn't take over 600 per day. It's suggested both hypo's and hyper's take 200-600 mcg per day.  Like I mentioned, I have been taking 400 to 600 per day for years and I'm not dead nor toxic.  There are other vitamin/minerals that are also beneficial to thyroid health.


GL,
Thyroid patient

[AR-10]

"The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences has set a tolerable upper intake level (UL) for selenium at 400 micrograms per day for adults to prevent the risk of developing selenosis.

Exceeding the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of selenium can cause significant toxicity. There have even been reports of death due to this toxicity. Remember, most people in the United States get plenty of selenium just through their diets."

Selenosis, in a less than severe form, has some of the same symptoms as hypothyroidism.

I don't find a source that says XXmcg of selenium is toxic, and I'm sure the Institute mentioned above is playing it on the safe side, but...