Abstract

ESTEVES, César; NEVES, Celestino  and  CARVALHO, Davide. Selenium and the Thyroid. Arq Med [online]. 2012, vol.26, n.4, pp.149-153. ISSN 2183-2447.

Selenium is a trace element, active in several of the biochemical reactions that occur in the human body, particularly oxidation and reduction reactions and deiodination of thyroid hormones. The recognition of selenium as a factor that interferes with an individual´s health status has evolved in the last decades, and its´ role in the pathogenesis of autoimmunity, and thyroiditis in particular, is well documented in several studies, establishing a relation between its deficiency and the occurrence of autoimmune thyroiditis and Graves’ disease. The supplementation with selenium is still controversial despite of the results suggesting its’ benefits in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and Graves’ orbitopathy.

Keywords : Thyroid; Autoimmunity; Thyroiditis; Selenium; Iodide.

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