Zinc and Selenium

[Jefner]

Two vits and and minerals that appear to be required for thyroid conditions which I am not taking and wondering whether I should be at low dose as I don't want to go toxic

I could test first but with the saliva test and another full thyroid panel it's getting quite expensive especially having to pay for someone to come round and take my bloods that can't be done by finger prick.

BH offer this test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk... or I could ask my GP if she would test them as I have had them done before?

Tested them both via my GP back in 2016 with my Selenium being very slightly over range and zinc slightly under and I wasn't eating well at that time and very underweight

Wonder whether it would be beneficial to get it done or just supplement with a low dose?

My old FD also put me on this designsforhealth.uk/shop/v6... but haven't taken it for a long time so could be worthwhile going back to it as it has B6 which, after reading, helps a lot with anxiety and depression, although it's only a small dose. Other research suggests that high dose B6 really helps on that front too but I don't want to risk taking a high dose as much as it might help my anxiety

Reading up on the recommended daily dose of Selenium, there is so much contradiction from 55mcg per day right up to 200mcg.

Any suggestions on safe dosages please?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Personally I would test, especially as selenium has been over range previously (was that with or without supplements?).

Be careful with B6 if not under a doctor's supervision. The safe daily amount for regular use is said to be 10mg.

[Jefner in reply to SeasideSusie]

I never supplemented with Selenium when I got it tested but it was a long time ago and only very slightly over range

My FD that I used to see back in 2019 prescibed the B6 liquid but must admit I think I only ever had the one bottle. Bought another one last year but didn't have many doses and it just sat there so threw it away

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Jefner]

Over range selenium without supplements suggest that you get adequate from diet. I wouldn't supplement without first testing.

[Wua13262348]

I supplemented selenium at 200mcg daily for 120 days and was 441.18% through the range. I stopped supplementing 1/12/22 and retested 20/3/23 and was 142.86%. I now know that I have a homozygous (both parents), CBS mutation, deemed very rare, which up-regulates selenium amongst other things. I now believe it is causing a signalling problem with my thyroid. My bloods were indicative of Central Hypothyroidism.

A CBS mutation, (Dippy Dame should check if she has one in her raw data genetics), often overloads the urea cycle. I have a second urine sample in the blood lab at the moment for a U.T.I. which started 17/1/23 when I passed a large amount of blood in my urine. I believe the overload in urea cycle with the CBS mutation is because I am also homozygous for ASS1 and GCH1, all of which are benign for their associated diseases, but may give 30% function.

Can someone tag Dippy Dame please? Helvella told me how to do this, but I'm a numpty at tech.

My advice would be not to supplement without testing first. When my selenium was 441.18%, my zinc was 13.56%. When selenium dropped to 142.86%, zinc rose to 43.09%.

So, in my case, my zinc moved when my selenium moved.

ADDED BY EDITING :

The other 2 mutations to look out for , there are actually an additional 3, are: PCBD1, PTS, and QDPR.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Wua13262348]

DippyDame

[Wua13262348 in reply to helvella]

Can you tag Dippy again? Dippy, could your parents ' medical problems or cause of death be suggestive of vasculitis?

I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago with a fungal infection on my lower legs. Turns out it is Vasculitis, very rare !???? Legs have been excruciating for over 20 years and can't walk very far , and absolutely exhausted. Blood tests to follow next week. Would your parents have fitted the profile for vasculitis??

There are a couple of other genetic mutations other than the 2 I have mentioned, which , in combination with the CBS mutation, overburden the urea cycle.

[DippyDame in reply to helvella]

Thank you helvella

[Wua13262348]

Funnily enough, Vitamin B6 is mega important with a CBS mutation. I take the Thorne B complex recommended on the forum. According to research on the CBS mutation, some people will respond favourably to prescription strength B6 as there is a bit of a kind of crossover with PKU disease. As Seaside Susie says, it is too dangerous to muck about with B6 unless advised to by a medical expert. The Thorne B has the recommended daily limit of B6.