Selenium and the Thyroid Gland

Along with iodine, selenium is a critical mineral for maintaining proper function of the thyroid gland. For the thyroid gland to produce the most active form of the thyroid hormone T3, selenium is essential but also helps regulate the amount of hormone that is produced.

Selenium

Selenium is a micromineral that is needed in your diet on a daily basis, but only 50 micrograms or less. Other microminerals that you need on a daily basis from foods include:

arsenic
boron
cobalt
copper
chromium
fluorine
iodine
iron
manganese
molybdenum
nickel
silicon
vanadium
zinc

What Selenium Does

The function of selenium is the prevention of oxidative stress. Even though we need oxygen to breath, oxygen is risky substance inside the body because it can make molecules overly reactive. When this happens they can start damaging the cell structures around them which is called oxidative stress.

Selenium works with a group of nutrients that include vitamin E, vitamin C, glutathione, and vitamin B3, to prevent oxidative stress. This group of nutrients prevents oxygen molecules from becoming too reactive.

Selenium in Foods

Foods high in selenium can protect cells from free-radical damage, help lower your risk of joint inflammation and enable your thyroid to produce hormones. If you are experiencing weakness or pain in your muscles, discoloration of the hair or skin and whitening of the fingernail beds it could indicate a need for more foods high in selenium.

Foods rich in selenium include:

button mushrooms
shitake mushrooms
cod
shrimp
snapper
tuna
halibut
calf�s liver
salmon
Brazil nuts
barley
lamb

Thyroid Supplement with Selenium - Thyax

Progressive Health has a product called Thyax, which is a high-potency supplement, designed to adjust the metabolic and nutritional alterations caused by underactive thyroid disease, or hypothyroidism.

Thyax can be used to reset the balance of nutrients utilized by the thyroid gland. By providing your body with specific vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that support the thyroid, you regain a balance of the many thyroid-related chemical reactions which take place in the body on a daily basis.

The ingredients in Thyax include:

Selenium - is necessary for the production and conversion of thyroid hormones. In addition to iodine supplementation, selenium may mitigate development of hypothyroidism and may be essential for those with congenital hypothyroidism. When combined iodine and selenium deficiencies exist, selenium must always be given with iodine or thyroid hormone.

Iodine - Iodine is a trace element that is required for thyroid hormone synthesis.

Acetyl L-Tyrosine, L-tyrosine complex - Tyrosine is required for synthesis of thyroid hormones, and deficiency of phenylalanine and L-tyrosine has been associated with hypothyroidism.

Zinc � is required for the manufacture of thyroid hormones, zinc is also necessary for overall growth and development.

L-Phenylalanine - As a precursor to the amino acid tyrosine, phenylalanine plays an important role in thyroid function.

Copper, Manganese, Molybdenum- These trace minerals are closely tied to thyroid function.

Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2,Vitamin B3,Vitamin B5 - These B vitamins are essential for energy production, mood, nervous system function and wound healing.

Vitamin B6,Vitamin B12,Folic Acid - Required for optimal function of the nervous and immune systems, these B vitamins are useful in reducing levels of homocysteine.

To learn more about Thyax, click here.