- What is selenium? Selenium is an essential mineral (see What It Is). Only trace amounts of selenium are needed and deficiency is rare in the U.S. and Canada due to selenium occurring in foods such as grains and meats, but is more prevalent in countries with low levels of selenium in soil (see From Food).
- What are the health benefits of selenium? Selenium is important for proper immune and thyroid function. There is mixed evidence as to whether supplementing with selenium can help reduce the risk of cancer: It may only help those deficient in selenium, while it may be potentially harmful for others (see What It Does).
- How much selenium should I take? The daily requirement for selenium is just 55 micrograms (mcg) for most adults and a bit higher for women who are pregnant or lactating. Dosage in supplements generally ranges from 100 to 200 mcg (see What to Consider When Using). The tolerable upper intake level is 400 mcg daily, above which there is increased risk of adverse effects such as hair and nail brittleness (see Concerns and Cautions).
- Best selenium supplement? As shown in comparison graph and Results Table the cost to obtain 200 mcg of selenium ranged from 3 cents to $1.39. Among supplements which passed testing, we identified our Top Pick, providing a highly absorbable form of selenium at low cost.
Selenium Supplements Review
Choose the Best Selenium Supplement. Find Out If You Need Selenium and Which Supplement Is Our Top Pick

Selenium supplement brands compared in this review

365 [Whole Foods] Selenium 100 mcg

Allergy Research Group Selenium Solution

GNC Selenium 200 mcg

Life Extension Super Selenium Complex

Mega Food Selenium

Natural Factors Selenium 200 mcg

Nature's Way Selenium 200 mcg

NOW Selenium 200 mcg

Puritan's Pride High Potency Selenium 200 mcg

Spring Valley [Walmart] Selenium 200 mcg

Swanson Ultra SelenoExcell

The Vitamin Shoppe Selenium
Make sure the selenium supplement you take passed our quality review and is right for you!
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Summary
- Which selenium supplements passed or failed testing
- ConsumerLab's Top Pick among products
- Differences among forms of selenium (e.g., selenium from yeast, selenomethionine, Se-methyl-L-selenocysteine, and selenite)
- Which foods are rich in selenium
- The causes and symptoms of selenium deficiency
- How much selenium you need based on age and gender
- How selenium seems to affect the risk of various cancers -- positively and negatively, and other conditions
- Safety concerns and potential side-effects of selenium supplements
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