Research
Hormonal
Selenium is preferentially retained and redistributed to endocrine tissues (thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, testes, ovary) and the brain during nutritional depletion, prioritizing thyroid hormone homeostasis and cellular defense over other organs.
Ensure adequate dietary selenium intake to support thyroid and endocrine health. The body prioritizes these organs, so maintaining sufficient levels helps protect thyroid function and hormone regulation, especially if you live in a region with low soil selenium.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Nutritional Se depletion results in retention, whereas Se repletion is followed by a rapid accumulation of Se in endocrine tissues, reproductive organs, and the brain. ... A general observation during Se depletion was the retention or redistribution of Se to the brain, the endocrine organs, and the reproductive organs, whereas liver, muscle, skin, and other large tissues rapidly lose their Se
Why this rating
Based on a comprehensive review of multiple studies, animal models, and human pathology observations.
Source
Selenium, the Thyroid, and the Endocrine System
Josef Köhrle et al. · Endocrine Reviews · 2005
DOI 10.1210/er.2001-0034
narrative_reviewCited 519×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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- Selenium-dependent selenoproteins (specifically deiodinases and glutathione peroxidases) are essential for thyroid hormone activation/inactivation and protecting thyroid cells from oxidative damage during hormone synthesis.Strong
- Selenium status modulates the expression and activity of selenoproteins that regulate transcription by redox-sensitive nuclear hormone receptors, linking selenium metabolism to broader endocrine signaling.Good
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