A tidbit of the benefits of adding selenium for folks dealing with autoimmune

[Guest guest]

We've touched on the subject every once in a while about what triggers Hash's and Grave's... I ran across this while I was checking up some stuff for Vicki... I thought I would share....

Topper ()

The link:

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/newsinfo/l/blselenium.htm

and the short article:

Peroxidase Antibodies Concentrations

by J. ShomonOctober, 2002 -- German researchers have found that in areas with severe selenium deficiency, there is a higher incidence of thyroiditis due to a reduction in the activity of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase in thyroid cells. Selenium-dependent enzymes also have a number of effects on the immune system, and selenium deficiency can contribute to the development and continuation of autoimmune thyroid diseases. In the study, patients received 200 micrograms of sodium selenite supplements over three months. Thyroid antibody levels decreased by as much as 40 to 63%, and a small percentage of patients in the selenium-treated group had antibody levels that completely returned to normal. The researchers concluded that selenium supplementation may reduce inflammation in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis. Source: The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol. 87, No. 4 1490-1498