Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Brief Communication
  • Published:

Selenium status in a Northern Irish pregnant cohort with iodine deficiency

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 75, pages 403–405 (2021)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Selenium and iodine are trace elements that are maximally concentrated in the thyroid. Iodine is a substrate for thyroid hormone synthesis, while the selenoproteins protect the thyroid from the oxidative stress incurred. We measured plasma selenium concentration in 241 pregnant women in 1st trimester, previously reported to have iodine deficiency. Mean age was 30.3 years (SD 5.4), BMI 26.2 kg/m2 (SD 4.9) and 53% reported taking supplements. Median urinary iodine concentration was 73 μg/L (IQR 37–122) (WHO recommendation, ≥150 μg/L). Mean plasma selenium concentration was 75 µg/L (SD 7.7) which is below the 80–125 µg/L reported to be optimal. Four-day food diaries revealed a selenium intake of 43 µg/day (SD 15.9), also below the 55–70 µg/day reported to be optimal. This is the first report of selenium status in pregnancy on the island of Ireland. The possible combined effects of iodine and selenium deficiencies in pregnancy merit further investigation.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rayman MP, Duntas L. Selenium deficiency and thyroid disease: a comprehensive guide for the clinician, 1st ed. Switzerland: Springer; 2019.

  2. SACN statement on selenium and health. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-statement-on-selenium-and-health-. Accessed 01 May 2020

  3. Combs GF Jr. Selenium in global food systems. Br J Nutr. 2001;85:517–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. World Health Organization/International Council for the Control ofthe Iodine Deficiency Disorders/United Nations Children’s Fund. Assessment of the iodine deficiency disorders and monitoring their elimination. Geneva; 2007. https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/micronutrients/iodine_deficiency/WHO_NHD_01.1/en/. Accessed 03 Sept 2020

  5. Vanderpump MP, Lazarus JH, Smyth PP, et al. Iodine status of UK Schoolgirls: a cross‐sectional survey. Lancet. 2011;377:2007–12.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. McMullan P, Hamill L, Doolan K, Hunter A, McCance D, Patterson C, et al. Iodine deficiency among pregnant women living in Northern Ireland. Clin Endocrinol. 2019;91:639–45.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bath SC, Steer CD, Golding J, Emmett P, Rayman MP. Effect of inadequate iodine status in UK pregnant women on cognitive outcomes in their children: results from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Lancet. 2013;382:331–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Dineva M, Fishpool H, Rayman MP, Mendis J, Bath SC. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of iodine supplementation on thyroid function and child neurodevelopment in mildly-to-moderately iodine-deficient pregnant women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020:nqaa071. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa071.

  9. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary reference intakes: vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and carotenoids. Washington DC: National Academy Press; 2000

  10. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for selenium. EFSA J. 2014;12:3846. http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3846. Accessed 01 May 2020

  11. Mao J, Pop VJ, Bath SC, Vader HL, Redman CW, Rayman MP. Effect of low-dose selenium on thyroid autoimmunity and thyroid function in UK pregnant women with mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency. Eur J Nutr. 2016;55:55–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rayman MP, Bath SC, Westaway J, Williams P, Mao J, Vanderlelie JJ, et al. Selenium status in U.K. pregnant women and its relationship with hypertensive conditions of pregnancy. Br J Nutr. 2015;113:249–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Bingham SA, Welch AA, McTaggart A, Mulligan AA, Runswick SA, Luben R, et al. Nutritional Methods in the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer in Norfolk. Public Health Nutr. 2001;4:847–58.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Regional Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK

    K. R. Mullan, P. McMullan & D. R. McCance

  2. Regional Royal Maternity Hospital, Belfast, UK

    A. Hunter

  3. University College, Dublin, Ireland

    P. Smyth

  4. National University Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    P. Smyth

  5. Department of Nutrition al Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK

    S. C. Bath & M. Rayman

  6. Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queens University, Belfast, UK

    J. V. Woodside

Authors
  1. K. R. Mullan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. McMullan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Hunter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D. R. McCance
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. Smyth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S. C. Bath
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. M. Rayman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. J. V. Woodside
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. R. Mullan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mullan, K.R., McMullan, P., Hunter, A. et al. Selenium status in a Northern Irish pregnant cohort with iodine deficiency. Eur J Clin Nutr 75, 403–405 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00721-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00721-4

Search

Advanced search

Quick links