Selenium is one of the biggest EBV and thyroid superstars.
Selenium is a multitasker: it is one of the best EBV tools and has incredible capacities to support the immune system, mitochondria, detoxification, liver, and even provides anti-cancer protection. Not to mention some pretty amazing things it can do for your thyroid, including Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
Your level of selenium in the body depends on its level in your food and that depends on the quality of the soil, and since much of top soil used for farming is depleted, it is not uncommon to get only sub-optimal amounts of this trace mineral in diet:
“Selenium deficiency is regarded as a major health problem for 0.5 to 1 billion people worldwide, while an even larger number may consume less selenium than required for optimal protection against cancer, cardiovascular diseases and severe infectious diseases including HIV disease (Haug et al., 2007).”
Because there is so much to this tiny micromineral, I created an entire list of functions. Also, I will guide you on safety, dosages, toxicity symptoms, counter-indications and more.
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What Selenium Can Do for EBV and Beyond
- Selenium, along with N-Acetyl Cysteine and licorice inhibits NFkB. (Maehira et all., 2002). NFkB is an infamous inflammatory protein that EBV uses to replicate. The poorer your diet, the more NFkB you produce and thus the more EBV replication you promote.
- Selenium has specific anti-EBV properties (Beck, 1999), preventing EBV replication and providing immune support.
- Selenium, along N-Acetyl Cysteine, is a building block of glutathione, and in this way, is involved in proper detoxification processes.
- EBV targets your mitochondria. Because as I just mentioned above, Selenium is one of the building blocks of glutathione and glutathione is needed for mitochondrial function, deficiency of Selenium can impact the mitochondria, which worsens their status. Simply put, mitochondria live inside your cells and produce cellular energy, so when your mitochondria are tired, you have fatigue.
- Selenium deficiency clearly leads to viral pathogenesis (Beck, 2001). Deficiency of selenium “increased viral pathogenicity and altered immune responses” and resulted in “specific viral mutations, changing relatively benign viruses into virulent ones” (Flavin, 2006).
- Antioxidant selenoenzyme (glutathione preroxidase-1) is particularly effective against EBV (Toulis et al., 2010). In research, selenium-rich rice extract significantly inhibited expression of EBV-Early Antigen in umbilical blood B lymphocytes (Beck, 1999). Children in areas of Kenya with higher incidence of Burkitt lymphoma (a known EBV-induced cancer) had significantly lower levels of selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase, higher EBV viral load, and more evidence of chronic malnutrition than children from areas of low incidence of Burkitt lymphoma (Beckett, 2005).
- Selenium is a super antioxidant as it can help recycle Vitamin C and Vitamin E (Li et al., 2001) and helps reduce free radical peroxide products by making the key glutathione peroxidase. In fact, deficiency of the former often accompanies the deficiency of the two vitamins. EBV itself creates large amounts of free radicals and oxidative stress, and that is why the antioxidant function of Selenium is so important in addition to its anti-EBV qualities.
- Unfortunately, selenium is commonly deficient in diets worldwide due to a gradual deterioration of nutrient density (including selenium) in produce and soil (Davis, 2009).
- Differences in soil quality are also the reason why I do not rely therapeutically on Brazil nuts, a very good source of selenium, for EBV needs.
- Selenium is the single most important nutrient to provide in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Given that HT can be caused by EBV, it is no surprise that selenium supplementation alone can lower HT antibodies (Toulis et al., 2010). Selenium deficiency may increase cellular damage of the thyroid and even set off autoimmunity.
SELENIUM IS VITAL FOR YOUR THYROID
- Thyroid has the highest concentration of selenium in the body, and it is the single most important nutrient in thyroid function and in the management of Hhashimoto’s Thyroiditis (Toulis, 2010), and selenium itself can lower thyroid antibodies (Beckett & Arthur, 2005). In fact, selenium deficiency may increase cellular damage of the thyroid and even set off autoimmunity!
- Research has shown that even as little as 200mcg Selenium can decrease thyroid antibodies in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (Toulis et al., 2010)
Selenium Dosage
1 capsule is 200mcg
Acute therapeutic dose is up to 600mcg (do not exceed 800mcg total a day from ALL your supplements – please double check). Do not take 600-800mcg unsupervised by your doctor to prevent Selenium toxicity. Please note that safe upper limit is set at 400mcg/day.
Long-term dose: 200-400mcg can be maintained long term; up to 600mcg longer term is considered safe, but discuss that with your provider. For safety, stay only on 200mcg a day longer term.
Selenium Side-Effects
- Some people with methylation issues may not tolerate much Selenium, so proceed slowly.
- Toxic level of selenium can cause hair loss, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, joint pain, nail discoloration, loss or brittleness, “garlic” breath. Here is a sample study.
When NOT to Use Selenium
- Taken with medications, Selenium may increase their effects or their side-effects*.
- Taken with blood thinning medications, Selenium may add to bruising and bleeding*.
- If you have DM2, discuss selenium supplementation as it may not be safe.
Signs of Selenium Deficiency
- Fertility issues
- Muscle weakness
- Depressed mood, anxiety, and confusion
- Deficiency in Selenium may cause a decrease in brain function
More on Selenium
- Selenium is depleted in stress and decreases with age.
- There are a few high dietary sources of Selenium like oysters and brazil nuts. However, I don’t recommend eating Brazil nuts on top of the supplement, so that you know exactly what therapeutic value you are getting from Selenium. Selenium level in brazil nuts is unpredictable and depends on the quality of the soil. This way, you also avoid toxicity from excess Selenium between diet and supplementation.
- In addition to being antioxidant warriors for thyroid regulation, Selenoproteins are also important for male fertility enhancement and anti-inflammatory actions, not to mention that selenium containing compounds can act as cancer preventive and therapeutic and are involved in wound healing (Hariharan, 2020).
Disclaimer
Dr. Kines does not provide medical advice or claim to cure or treat any disease. Any information is educational only. It is your responsibility to ensure it is safe to take any supplement recommended on this website. Do not discontinue any medication. Do not take if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. If in doubt, discuss these supplements with your pharmacist or doctor.
References:
Maehira, F., Miyagi, I., & Eguchi, Y. (2003). Selenium regulates transcription factor NF-kappaB activation during the acute phase reaction. Clin Chim Acta, 334(1-2), 163-171. Jian, S.W., et al., [Influence of selenium-rich rice on transformation of umbilical blood B lymphocytes by Epstein-Barr virus and Epstein-Barr virus early antigen expression]. Ai Zheng, 2003. 22(1): p. 26-9.
Beck, M. A. (1999). Selenium and host defence towards viruses. Proc Nutr Soc, 58(3), 707-711.Beck, M.A., Selenium and vitamin E status: impact on viral pathogenicity. J Nutr, 2007. 137(5): p. 1338-40.
Beck, M. A. (2001). Antioxidants and viral infections: host immune response and viral pathogenicity. J Am Coll Nutr, 20(5 Suppl), 384S-388S; discussion 396S-397S.Sumba, P.O., et al., Microgeographic variations in Burkitt’s lymphoma incidence correlate with differences in malnutrition, malaria and Epstein-Barr virus. Br J Cancer, 2010. 103(11): p. 1736-41.
Beckett, G. J., & Arthur, J. R. (2005). Selenium and endocrine systems. J Endocrinol, 184(3), 455-465.
Davis, Ronald, R (2009). Declining fruit and vegetable nutrient composition: what is the evidence? HortScience. Feb. vol 44.no 1 15-19.
Flavin, D., F. (2006). Reversing splenomegalies in Epstein Barr Virus infected children: mechanisms of toxicity in viral diseases. J Orthomol Med, 21(2), 95-101.Davis, R. Declining fruit and vegetable nutrient composition: what is the evidence? HortScience, 2009. Feb (44) 1: p. 15-19.
Hariharan, S., & Dharmaraj, S. (2020). Selenium and selenoproteins: it’s role in regulation of inflammation. Inflammopharmacology, 28(3), 667-695.
Haug, A., Graham, R. D., Christophersen, O. A., & Lyons, G. H. (2007). How to use the world’s scarce selenium resources efficiently to increase the selenium concentration in food. Microb Ecol Health Dis, 19(4), 209-228.
Li, X., Hill, K. E., Burk, R. F., & May, J. M. (2001). Selenium spares ascorbate and alpha-tocopherol in cultured liver cell lines under oxidant stress.
Maehira, F., Miyagi, I., & Eguchi, Y. (2003). Selenium regulates transcription factor NF-kappaB activation during the acute phase reaction. Clin Chim Acta, 334(1-2), 163-171. Jian, S.W., et al., [Influence of selenium-rich rice on transformation of umbilical blood B lymphocytes by Epstein-Barr virus and Epstein-Barr virus early antigen expression]. Ai Zheng, 2003. 22(1): p. 26-9.
Toulis, K. A., Anastasilakis, A. D., Tzellos, T. G., Goulis, D. G., & Kouvelas, D. (2010). Selenium supplementation in the treatment of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: a systematic review and a meta-analysis. Thyroid, 20(10), 1163-1173.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this. I had a hunch there was a connection. Thank you for compiling the multiple research sources regarding selenium.
I am so glad!