Tag: Hyperthyroiditis

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Adjuvant Treatment of Graves’ Hyperthyroidism with Selenium Yeast

Thyroid disease. Hyperthyroidism. Adjuvant treatment of thyroid disease with selenium yeast supplementation. All topics of interest. At this writing (August 2022), we await the publication of the outcomes of the GRASS clinical trial. GRASS is the acronym for the selenium supplementation for patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism study [study protocol described by Watt 2013].

What is Graves’ Hyperthyroidism?

Thyroid gland
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland in the neck below the Adam’s apple that makes and stores hormones that help regulate blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and the rate at which food is converted into energy. [This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.]
Hyperthyroidism is an autoimmune disease. It causes overactivity of the thyroid gland, resulting in too much production of the hormone thyroxine. Hyperthyroidism can cause an acceleration of the body’s metabolism; it can cause weight loss and rapid or irregular heartbeat.

Hyperthyroidism is caused by a number of conditions, including Graves’ disease, which is a common cause. Graves’ disease is the result of immune system disorder. It can affect anyone, but it is more common in women and in individuals under the age of 40. read more

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Selenium Supplementation and Autoimmune Thyroiditis

Autoimmune thyroiditis is the umbrella term for various types of thyroiditis in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland.

Endocrine glands placement
The thyroid gland is the butterfly-shaped endocrine gland in the lower part of the neck. It plays an essential role in the regulation of our basic metabolism.

The result is often hypothyroidism, the insufficient functioning of the thyroid gland.

The two major types of hypothyroidism are Hashimoto’s disease and atrophic thyroiditis.

Thyroiditis is the medical term for inflammation of the thyroid gland.

Immune system disorder can also cause an overactive thyroid, called hyperthyroidism; Graves’ disease is the most common form.

Selenium Supplementation to Prevent Hypothyroidism

In a 2021 review article, Filipowicz et al assert that many European endocrinologists prescribe selenium supplements to autoimmune thyroiditis patients.

For example, a 2016 survey of 815 doctors (91% endocrinologists) has shown that almost 80% of the surveyed doctors prescribe selenium supplementation to autoimmune thyroiditis patients. The rationale for the selenium supplementation is the delay of the hypothyroidism or a decrease in thyroid antibodies [Filipowicz 2021]. read more