Abstract
Patients with Graves’ disease are known to have low selenium (Se) status, Se supplementation
resulting in clinical and biochemical improvement. Selenomethionine (SeMet) in a new
soft gel capsule formulation was used in a pilot study in 6 patients with acute Graves’
disease and low selenium levels (61.3±12.9 μg/l) before and in 4/6 patients 3 months
after combined treatment with methimazole and SeMet 200 μg/day (113.3±46.3 μg/l),
as well as in 6 euthyroid controls (82±11.8 μg/l). The biokinetics were studied following
ingestion of 200 μg SeMet (single dose) soft gel capsule, Se serum concentrations
being measured at various time points within 24 h. Se levels rose variably in all
patients and controls. While levels peaked in all subjects following 8 h of intake,
the increase was somewhat slower in acute hyperthyroidism as compared to 3 months
later when these patients had been rendered euthyroid, this possibly due to derangement
of Se storage capacity by SEPP or increased requirements in the acute phase of the
disease, leading to depletion of the trace element. The compound was shown to be bioavailable
and safe and patients treated for 3 months exhibited higher Se levels at the different
time points. These findings are of major importance for sufferers of GD since they
indicate that early Se supplementation, with its beneficial antioxidant impact on
inflammatory activity, could slow, or possibly even forestall, the clinical progression
of the disease.
Key words
selenium - selenomethionine - selenium biokinetics - Graves’ disease - hyperthyroidism
- selenium soft gel capsule
