For someone living with fatigue, hair loss, weight changes, or that “wired‑but‑tired” feeling of thyroid trouble, low selenium status can quietly worsen thyroid function because selenium‑dependent enzymes help both activate thyroid hormone and protect thyroid tissue from the oxidative stress of making it. Clinical trials in autoimmune thyroiditis using about 200 µg per day of selenium have shown meaningful reductions in thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody levels and, in some studies, better thyroid ultrasound findings and improved day‑to‑day well‑being, even if the impact on long‑term medication requirements is less consistent. Taken together, this suggests that true selenium deficiency can both aggravate hypothyroid symptoms and dial up autoimmune activity in the thyroid, making selenium testing and thoughtfully dosed supplementation a smart conversation point for people with Hashimoto’s or other chronic thyroid disorders who do not feel fully optimized. This medication is commonly used for Inflammation.
Kobayashi R, Hasegawa M, Kawaguchi C, Ishikawa N, Tomiwa K, Shima M, Nogami K. Thyroid function in patients with selenium deficiency exhibits high free T4 to T3 ratio. Clin Pediatr Endocrinol. 2021;30(1):19-26. Roland Gärtner, Barbara C. H. Gasnier, Johannes W. Dietrich, Bjarne Krebs, Matthias W. A. Angstwurm, Selenium Supplementation in Patients with Autoimmune Thyroiditis Decreases Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies Concentrations, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 87, Issue 4, 1 April 2002, Pages 1687–1691. Roland Gärtner, Barbara C. H. Gasnier, Johannes W. Dietrich, Bjarne Krebs, Matthias W. A. Angstwurm, Selenium Supplementation in Patients with Autoimmune Thyroiditis Decreases Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies Concentrations, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 87, Issue 4, 1 April 2002, Pages 1687–1691. Huwiler VV, Maissen-Abgottspon S, Stanga Z, Mühlebach S, Trepp R, Bally L, Bano A. Selenium Supplementation in Patients with Hashimoto Thyroiditis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Thyroid. 2024 Mar;34(3):295-313.
Some side effects may be linked to nutrient depletion caused by this medication.
Corticosteroids can increase the urinary loss of selenium elevating the risk for deficient levels. Selenium is a mineral that acts as an antioxidant, helping protect cells from damage. Studies have shown that rheumatoid arthritis patients taking high doses of corticosteroids tend to have lower selenium levels. This is concerning because low selenium intake is linked to osteoporosis, and selenium has been shown to play a role in bone protection in animal models of corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis. Supplementation with selenium should be considered during long term corticosteroid therapy.
Corticosteroids can lower calcium levels in the body. This is a double threat to bone health because corticosteroids themselves can weaken bones. Calcium is essential for strong bones, and a study showed that supplementing with both calcium and vitamin D3 helped prevent bone loss in people with rheumatoid arthritis taking corticosteroids. Supplementation with calcium should be considered during long term corticosteroid therapy.
Research suggests corticosteroids can lower vitamin D levels in the body by increasing its breakdown. This is a concern because vitamin D plays a crucial role in bone health and the immune system, and corticosteroids themselves can weaken bones. A study found that calcium and vitamin D3 supplements helped prevent bone loss in the lower back (lumbar spine) and hip (trochanter) for people with rheumatoid arthritis who were on low-dose corticosteroids. Evidence suggests vitamin D may work synergistically together with corticosteroids to improve asthma treatment by boosting the effectiveness of corticosteroids or by overcoming resistance to these medications in some patients.