Selenium, thoughts please!

[Bexg]

Considering adding selenium to my vitamins

I have secondary hypothyroidism and a sluggish T4 to T3 conversion. On Levothyroxine and have been lowering dose as have spiked T4 and a lowish T3.

What dose is good to take??

[Paula101]

Hi Bexg

My Selenium dose is 200mcg.

If you are going to supplement then Selenium L-selenomethionine is the best form to take. I have the Solgar one. Check other good brands such as Jarrows & Thorne.

I take it as my Hypo comes with Hashi's & I had my antibodies tested & they came back high. Selenium helps reduce antibodies as does a gluten free diet, selenium also helps to keep your TSH suppressed.

Reading through your posts, you've not had antibodies tested & you could possibly have Hashimoto's. I note you say your GP doesn't test these but you can get them privately tested.

Makes you wonder why we bother with GP's! Have a look again at your old posts & you've got all the advice you need for testing 🙂

[WobblyX in reply to Paula101]

Does Selenium keep you TSH suppressed??

Never heard that before, do you have any information on this...I take Selenium on recommendation of endo to try to improve conversion of T4 to T3 and my TSH is always low and then she says it looks like I need less thyroxine.....surely she would have known if this was one of its effects? SeasideSusie ...do you know anything about Selenium affectingTSH?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to WobblyX]

SeasideSusie ...do you know anything about Selenium affectingTSH?

Simple answer, I don't know, I've not researched it.

Just taking Levo suppresses my TSH, even when FT4 is very low in range, and that was before I supplemented with selenium.

Selenium is known to aid conversion of T4 to T3, and it's known to help reduce antibodies when Hashi's is present. Keeping TSH suppressed when Hashi's is present can also help reduce antibodies. Is someone mixing up this information?

[WobblyX in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SeasideSusie - I’m hoping it’s just a mix up! I did read up quite a bit on taking Selenium before starting it and never heard of this. I get such grief from GPs every blood result as my TSH has always been very low/suppressed....fortunately I’m now back under endo who says....”some people need more thyroxine to feel well and it’s all about quality of life”.....I like these words...they make me happy and my treatment makes me feel well 😃

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to WobblyX]

I like your endo Wobbly

Oh that he could talk some sense into all the others!

[Paula101 in reply to WobblyX]

No, I didn't type my sentence correctly, or check it for that matter. Apologies. Should have read "Selenium helps reduce antibodies as does a gluten free diet, also helps if you keep your TSH suppressed"

Thanks for picking this up & letting me know 👍🏻

[Gidgeclev]

Two brazil nuts a day apparently does the trick for selenium... and they are delicious!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Gidgeclev]

Two brazil nuts a day apparently does the trick for selenium...

Only if they're grown in selenium rich soil and it states that on the packaging, if not then no guarantee there is any selenium in the nuts, and depending on where they are grown the amount varies greatly:

honey-guide.com/2012/11/19/...

[Gidgeclev in reply to SeasideSusie]

They usually are, it's areas of the world that were glaciated in the last ice age that suffer from poor selenium in the soil.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Gidgeclev]

Did you check out the link? Not that many areas where the nuts have a high selenium content and I've no idea if packaging states where the nuts are actually grown.

[Gidgeclev in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yup.. the link states that a study in New Zealand found that 2 Brazil nuts a day were as effective as taking supplements.

[silverfox7]

Becareful of mold on nuts. I would prefer to take a regulated dose rather than just nuts.