Interesting read:
Myo-inostiol and Selenium for Hashimoto's (2017)
You might already know that selenium can be very helpful for Hashimoto’s. It’s an antioxidant that supports the production of glutathione. Selenium is helpful in reducing anti TPO antibodies. This study compared patients using selenium alone and selenium with myo-inositol.
Hashimoto's Research Update Winter 2021
But then there is this:
In my clinical practice and in listening to what my readers tell me about their own experiences, I have found selenium toxicity to be extremely rare. When taken in therapeutic doses, selenium does not typically have side effects.
But it is always important to understand the flip side of optimal results. While most reported toxicity cases have been associated with industrial accidents and manufacturing errors (29), it is important to at least be aware of the symptoms of selenium toxicity.
Some symptoms of selenium toxicity that have been reported include GI disturbances, hair loss, changes in hair and nails, fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, irritability, garlic-smelling breath, fever, nausea and a jaundice-like yellow tint to the skin.
Potentially serious side effects include liver, kidney and heart problems. At high enough levels, selenium could even cause death.
It’s important to note that selenium may also interact with other supplements and medications, such as cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, antacids, chemotherapy drugs, corticosteroids, niacin, and even birth control pills.
Those with a CBS mutation have difficulty breaking down selenium. (Research has found that selenomethionine needs to be converted into its active form via the CBS gene. So, if this gene is mutated, the body cannot break down selenomethionine properly.) Thus, those with a CBS gene mutation will have more selenium circulating in their body, compared to those without this mutation.
If you know you have the CBS mutation, then regularly monitoring your selenium levels is necessary. If you suspect that you may have this mutation, be sure to test for the CBS gene mutation using a genetic test like the one offered by 23andMe. You’ll also want to check out the Sulfur Toxicity Protocol in the Advanced Protocols section of Hashimoto’s Protocol. We heard from one reader, who had the CBS mutation, and ended up with a selenium toxicity due to this very reason.
Selenium supplements are also associated with a risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma), so people at high risk of skin cancer should not take these supplements.
In addition, a study by the National Cancer Institute shows that men who already have high concentrations of selenium in their bodies are nearly twice at risk of aggressive prostate cancer if they take selenium supplements.
Furthermore, selenium intake may also cause side effects in those with diabetes. One study found that people who took 200 micrograms a day of selenium were 50 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. So far, it’s unknown whether the selenium actually caused the disease.
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