Month: April 2025

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Selenium and Thyroid Function

Data from a 2025 KiSel-10 sub-study analysis suggest that serum CD5L levels may be an additional biomarker for improved thyroid function. Serum CD5L levels may also be a suitable biomarker for adequate selenium status and for reduced mortality risk.

Illustration of thyroid gland
Adequate selenium intake is necessary for good thyroid function. Selenium is a component of the deiodinase enzymes that help convert inactive T4 thyroid hormone to active T3 thyroid hormone. Some selenoproteins act as antioxidants to protect the thyroid against oxidative damage. Selenium may help reduce the risk of autoimmune thyroid disorders.

Combined supplementation of elderly citizens with selenium and Coenzyme Q10 for 48 months significantly increased the level of circulating CD5L. The supplementation was associated with improved health-related quality of life and improved survival odds. Meanwhile, in the study’s placebo group, significantly higher cardiovascular mortality within 10 years was associated with low levels of circulating CD5L. The combined selenium and Coenzyme Q10 supplementation reduced the mortality risk. The active treatment in the KiSel-10 clinical trial was 200 mcg of selenium from selenium-enriched yeast and two times 100 mg of ubiquinone Coenzyme Q10 daily [Alehagen 2025]. read more

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Selenium and Heart Failure

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart no longer performs as well as it should. It affects millions of people in the United States and Europe. Heart failure is characterized by the following symptoms:

• shortness of breath
• build-up of congestion in the lungs
• accumulation of fluid in the lower extremities

What do we know about selenium status and the risk of heart failure?

Prof Urban Alehagen selenium and heart disease researcher
Prof Urban Alehagen’s KiSel-10 studies and sub-analyses have shown that selenium supplementation of elderly citizens low in selenium reduces the risk of heart disease mortality.

Low serum selenium levels are associated with increased risk of heart failure [Al-Mubarak 2021; Bomer 2020].

  • Selenium status below 70 mcg/L is regarded as selenium deficiency status [Al-Mubarak 2021; Bomer 2020].
  • Selenium status below 100 mcg/L is regarded as suboptimal status [Al-Mubarak 2021; Bomer 2020].
  • Both selenium deficiency and suboptimal selenium status are associated with increased risk of cellular dysfunction, oxidative stress, and chronic low-grade inflammation [Al-Mubarak 2021; Bomer 2020].

    • What do we know about selenium supplementation and heart failure?

    • Selenium supplementation of individuals with low selenium status may improve heart function and may reduce the need for hospitalization [Alehagen 2022].
    • Selenium supplementation of individuals with low selenium status may reduce the oxidative stress and systemic inflammation that increase the risk of heart failure [Alehagen 2022].

    Selenium and the Risk of Cardiomyopathy

    Myocardium is the medical term for the heart muscle. Cardiomyopathy is a disease or disorder of the heart muscle, often of unknown cause. Keshan disease is a form of cardiomyopathy that develops as a result of selenium deficiency and exposure to a strain of the coxsackievirus. The disease takes its name from Keshan County in northeastern China Its symptoms were first observed there. Keshan disease can result in heart failure [Zhou 2018]. read more