Journal of Thyroid Disorders & Therapy
Open Access

Selenium and Thyroid Autoimmunity: Evaluating the Therapeutic Potential in a Placebo-Controlled Trial

Sze Thozhukat^{* *}Correspondence: Sze Thozhukat, Department of Medicine and Health Science, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tel: Szkat@toz.uk,

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Description

Thyroid autoimmunity, which is typified by the immune system targeting thyroid tissue, is a prevalent condition affecting millions of individuals globally and is the primary cause of thyroid conditions including Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. There is a lot of interest in how nutrition affects thyroid function and immunological response and one important mineral that has come to light is selenium. The production of selenoproteins, which are vital for both the control of thyroid hormone metabolism and antioxidant defense, requires selenium. This article highlights the methodology, results and implications of a double-blind, placebo-controlled research that looked at the relationship between thyroid autoimmunity and selenium supplementation.

Thyroglobulin (Tg) and Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) are two examples of thyroid-specific proteins that are specifically targeted by antibodies produced during thyroid autoimmunity. Thyroid dysfunction, which frequently presents as hypothyroidism, can result from the existence of these antibodies. Thyroid hormone abnormalities, oxidative stress and inflammation are common symptoms in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases and each of these factors speeds up the disease's course. The functions of selenium in the thyroid are diverse. The enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which shields cells from oxidative damage, needs it as a vital component. Sufficient quantities of selenium could be protective, considering the increased oxidative stress linked to thyroid autoimmunity. Selenium supplementation has drawn attention as a possible therapeutic intervention since epidemiological studies have revealed a link between low selenium levels and the frequency of thyroid autoimmunity. Selenium supplementation's effectiveness in treating autoimmune thyroid illness was the focus of this doubleblind, placebo-controlled study. Tg and TPO antibody levels were higher in research participants who had been diagnosed with either Graves' disease or Hashimoto's thyroiditis. For six months, participants received a placebo or 200 micrograms of selenium pills at random. The implementation of a double-blind design served to minimize bias in reporting and evaluation by keeping both the participants and the researchers in the dark about who was really getting therapy. Thyroid hormone (T3, T4 and TSH) and oxidative stress marker (Tg and TPO) antibody levels were among the baseline measures obtained at the very beginning of the experiment. Three and six-month follow-up evaluations were carried out to see if these parameters had changed.

Mechanisms of Action

It's believed that there are several different pathways by which selenium reduces thyroid autoimmunity. First, oxidative stress is a major contributor to the aetiology of autoimmune thyroid disease and selenium's function in antioxidant defense is essential in reducing it. Selenium may aid in shielding thyroid tissue from reactive oxygen species damage by increasing the activity of selenoproteins. Second, by regulating cytokine synthesis and fostering the equilibrium of pro and antiinflammatory mediators, selenium may affect immunological responses. Studies have demonstrated that selenium can inhibit the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-α), which are frequently increased in autoimmune diseases. Supplementing with selenium may help re-establish immunological tolerance and lessen the autoimmune assault on thyroid tissue by decreasing inflammation.

Conclusion

Selenium supplementation in thyroid autoimmunity: A doubleblind, placebo-controlled experiment offers important new information on how this vitamin affects autoimmune responses and enhances thyroid function. Selenium has the potential to be used as an adjuvant treatment for people with autoimmune thyroid disease, as evidenced by the noteworthy decreases in antibody levels and improvements in thyroid hormone profiles. Using nutritional therapies like selenium supplements might open the door to more comprehensive and successful ways of treating thyroid autoimmunity as precision medicine develops, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and quality of life.