Date of Award
2027
Document Type
Capstone
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Physician Assistant Studies
Committee Chair
Ashley Kernicky
Abstract
Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient regions of the world. It is characterized by autoimmune destruction of the thyroid gland, chronic inflammation, and progressive thyroid dysfunction. Selenium is an essential trace element involved in antioxidant defense of thyroid tissue and has been proposed as an adjunctive therapy. This review evaluates current evidence regarding the effects of selenium supplementation on thyroid function in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and subclinical hypothyroidism. Three peer-reviewed studies, including randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, were evaluated to examine the primary outcome of thyroid function by measurement of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) values. Secondary outcomes include thyroid hormone concentrations, thyroid autoantibodies, and markers of oxidative stress. The strongest evidence demonstrated that selenium combined with myo-inositol significantly reduced TSH concentrations, while selenium supplementation alone produced less consistent outcomes. Evidence regarding reductions in thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies was mixed, with several studies reporting relative changes but with limited statistical significance or insufficient evidence to confirm long-term benefits. Selenium supplementation consistently demonstrated antioxidant effects, including reductions in malondialdehyde, suggesting that improvements in thyroid function may occur indirectly through decreased oxidative stress rather than directly on thyroid hormone production. Overall, current evidence supports a potential role for selenium supplementation however, variability in study design, supplementation regimens, baseline selenium status, treatment duration, and sample size limits the generalizability of these findings. Additional large, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to establish standardized treatment recommendations and determine the long-term efficacy of selenium supplementation in autoimmune thyroid disease.
Recommended Citation
Smith L. Selenium Supplementation for Treatment of Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Autoimmune Thyroiditis. The PA Department Journal of Medical Science. 2026. https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/pa-department-journal-of-medical-science/80
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License