Supplementation with antioxidants in the treatment of Graves' disease: the effect on the extracellular antioxidative parameters

In this study, the effect of supplementation with a fixed combination of antioxidants (vitamins C and E, -caro- tene and selenium) on concentrations of antioxidative parameters in serum was monitored. Measurements were performed prior to the commencement of therapy and af- ter 30 and 60 days in patients with Graves' disease treated with methimazole. Patients who received extra supple- mentation with antioxidants (group A, n = 29) attained euthyroidism faster than the patients treated only with methimazole (group B, n = 28). Statistically significant differences were achieved after supplementation with antioxidants for all investigated parameters (uric acid, transferrin, ferritin), except TAS and glucose. Neverthe- less, due to the fact that all measured parameters remain- ed within the range of referent values, they may not be proposed as reliable indicators of the level of oxidative stress in Graves' disease.