A healthy thyroid is a critical component of one's overall health, and many people are struggling with thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism, specifically Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis. In this autoimmune condition, the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, with the resulting inflammation leading to an underactive thyroid gland or hypothyroidism. Hashimoto's disease is the most common form of hypothyroidism and was the first condition ever to be classified as an autoimmune disease.
I've written extensively about thyroid health, focusing on a multitude of environmental factors that may effect thyroid function, including gluten, gut health, stress, excess iodine, and vitamin D deficiency. I've also discussed why dietary changes are always the first step in treating Hashimoto's, and why replacement thyroid hormone is often necessary for a successful outcome.
There is yet another nutritional factor that may play a role in thyroid health: selenium.Selenium deficiency is not thought to be common in healthy adults, but is more likely to be found in those with digestive health issues causing poor absorption of nutrients, such as Crohn's or celiac disease, or those with serious inflammation due to chronic infection.
1,2 It is thought that selenium deficiency does not specifically cause illness by itself, but that it makes the body more susceptible to illnesses caused by other nutritional, biochemical or infectious stresses, due to its role in immune function.
3 Adequate selenium nutrition supports efficient thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism and protects the thyroid gland from damage from excessive iodine exposure.
4
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