Selenium
Prescription status is set country by country — the label where you live is the one that applies.
Beta: the medication section is still being tested, and its data may contain errors. Do not rely on it for a decision about your own treatment.
Selenium is an essential trace mineral built into selenoproteins, including glutathione peroxidases and the deiodinase enzymes that convert thyroid hormone to its active form. This is why it is used both to correct dietary deficiency and as an adjunct in hypothyroidism, particularly autoimmune thyroid disease. It supports thyroid enzyme function rather than replacing thyroid hormone.
A usual adult range, not a national label — the dose and the timing differ by country and by product.
Approved uses differ by country — some of these may be off-label or unapproved where you live.
It is taken with food, which is gentler on the stomach and matches how selenium is normally absorbed from the diet. The safety window between an adequate intake and an excessive one is unusually narrow for a mineral, so stacking several supplements or fortified products that each contain selenium is the main way people overshoot. TPO antibodies and TSH are the markers followed during use, since the point of supplementing in thyroid disease is to see whether those values move.
A garlic-like smell on the breath, metallic taste, hair or nail loss, or unexplained nausea can indicate too much selenium and should be assessed by a doctor. New palpitations, weight change or fatigue suggest thyroid values need rechecking.
Reference information, not medical advice. Discuss any change with your doctor.