What Are the Uses of Selenomethionine?

Selenomethionine (SeMet) is one of the major natural forms of selenium. This nutrient is found in many foods, including nuts, whole grains, meat, eggs and dairy products.

Selenomethionine is readily available as a dietary supplement. Nutritionists have proposed that selenomethionine, as an organic form of selenium, is more readily absorbed by the body than the inorganic form of selenite. In a clinical trial it was determined that selenomethionine was absorbed 19% better than selenite.

As a form of selenium, SeMet is important for normal thyroid function. It plays a role in reproduction, DNA production and protection of the body from infection. It has also been studied for heart and other health benefits.

Selenomethionine binds to proteins in the body to form antioxidants called selenoproteins. These compounds help protect against free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage the cells in your body.

This article looks at some of the possible benefits of selenomethionine and some research on the health effects of selenium. It will also help you understand what to look for if you decide to try SeMet products.

 L-(+)-Selenomethionine

What are the uses of selenomethionine?

Much of the research on SeMet has focused on thyroid disease, cancer and heart disease prevention. It has also been studied for its role in mental health and how it can prevent cognitive decline.

Thyroid

The highest levels of selenium in the body are found in the thyroid gland. This mineral plays a key role in the production of thyroid hormones and their metabolism. Therefore, the effects of selenium methionine substitution on thyroid disorders have been studied.

One study looked at 192 people with hypothyroidism or mildly low and asymptomatic thyroid levels due to Hashimoto's disease. In this study, participants took 83 micrograms (mcg) of oral SeMet or placebo (sham treatment) daily for four months.

At the end of the study, 31.3% of those taking SeMet had recovered their thyroid function. In the placebo group, this figure was only 3.1%.

Another study looked at the response to SeMet in children and adolescents with autoimmune thyroiditis.71 The individuals were given 200 micrograms of selenomethionine or placebo daily for six months.

At the end of the study, the SeMet group had more reductions in immune protein (antibodies) (Tg), a protein made by the thyroid gland, than the placebo group.

How to understand thyroid function tests and normal ranges?

Another selenomethionine study looked at whether supplements could help prevent thyroid autoimmunity during and after pregnancy.3 In it, 45 women who had thyroiditis during pregnancy took SeMet or a placebo. They were evaluated at about 10 weeks of gestation, 36 weeks of gestation, and about 6 months after delivery.

At the first sign-up, there were no real differences between the groups. However, the researchers found a significant increase in selenium blood levels in the SeMet group during the second assessment. There was also a decrease in autoantibodies, a type of antibody usually produced by the body after an infection, after the infants in the selenomethionine group were delivered.

Based on these three studies, SeMet appears to contribute to certain thyroid disorders in certain populations, including adults, pregnant women, children and adolescents.

The source is from here.