ConsumerLab.com uses JavaScript to provide the best possible experience for our content, but your browser has it disabled. Learn how to enable it here.

Reviews & Articles

Membership & Subscription

About ConsumerLab.com

About Testing

News

  1. Home
  2. / Product Reviews
  3. / Selenium
Favorited Not Favorited

Selenium Supplements Review

Choose the Best Selenium Supplement. Find Out If You Need Selenium and Which Supplement Is Our Top Pick.

Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D. Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Last Updated: 03/02/2021 | Initially Posted: 06/28/2019
Selenium Supplements Reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Selenium supplement brands compared in this review

6489_large_365-Selenium-Large-2019.png

365 [Whole Foods] Selenium 100 mcg

6492_large_AllergyResearchGroup-Selenium-Large-2019.png

Allergy Research Group Selenium Solution

6499_large_GNC-Selenium-Large-2019.png

GNC Selenium 200 mcg

6491_large_LifeExtension-Selenium-Large-2019.png

Life Extension Super Selenium Complex

6493_large_MegaFood-Selenium-Large-2019.png

Mega Food Selenium

6498_large_NaturalFactors-Selenium-Large-2019.png

Natural Factors Selenium 200 mcg

6497_large_NaturesWay-Selenium-Large-2019.png

Nature's Way Selenium 200 mcg

6495_large_NOW-Selenium-Large-2019.png

NOW Selenium 200 mcg

6500_large_PuritansPride-Selenium-Large-2019.png

Puritan's Pride High Potency Selenium 200 mcg

6490_large_SpringValley-Selenium-Large-2019.png

Spring Valley [Walmart] Selenium 200 mcg

6494_large_SwansonUltra-Selenium-Large-2019.png

Swanson Ultra SelenoExcell

6496_large_TheVitaminShoppe-Selenium-Large-2019.png

The Vitamin Shoppe Selenium

Make sure the selenium supplement you take passed our quality review and is right for you!
Isn't your health worth it?

See the Review Now

Join now at www.consumerlab.com/join/

Summary

  • 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.
You must be a member to get the full test results along with ConsumerLab.com recommendations and quality ratings. You will get results for 10 selenium supplements selected by ConsumerLab.com and two others that passed testing in the voluntary Quality Certification Program.  In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:
  • 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

Join to unlock the full report and get full access to over 1,300 reviews

See the Review Now

Join now at www.consumerlab.com/join/

Latest Clinical Research Updates for Selenium Supplements

Diabetes Risk With Selenium

3/03/2021
High intake of selenium from the diet or supplements has been associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Get the details in the Concerns and Cautions section of our Selenium Supplements Review.

Selenium & COVID-19

7/18/2020
Selenium-deficient people were more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who were not deficient according to a recent study. For details, see the What It Does section of the Selenium Supplements Review. Also see our Top Pick for selenium.

Risk With Too Much Selenium

2/21/2018
Taking too much selenium was found to increase the risk of death in a newly published study. How much is too much? Get the details in the Concerns and Cautions section of the Selenium Supplements Review.

Vitamin E/Selenium & Alzheimer's

3/29/2017
A long-term study among men in the U.S. found that giving high doses of vitamin E and/or selenium did not significantly affect their risk of developing dementia. The study was part of a larger study which found that these supplements increased the risk of prostate cancer, type 2 diabetes, hair loss, and dermatitis. For details, see the "Alzheimer's disease/dementia" section of the Selenium Supplements Review >>

Selenium and Ovarian Cancer

2/18/2017
A recent study found that women with the highest intakes of selenium from supplements had a much lower risk of ovarian cancer than those not getting selenium from supplements. Get the details in the "What It Does" section of the Selenium Supplements Review (which includes our tests of products) >>

Selenium and Prostate Cancer

3/01/2015
A new study suggests that men who have prostate cancer should not take supplements providing high-dose selenium. Earlier research has similarly advised against high-dose selenium for people with already adequate selenium intake. For details and more about selenium, see the Selenium Supplements Review >> 

Can Vitamin E and/or Selenium Help Prevent Cataracts?

9/19/2014
A study in older men in the U.S. found that taking large daily doses of vitamin E and/or selenium did not significantly reduce the risk of developing cataracts. But could the dose have been too high to be helpful? Other research has shown that "less is more" when it comes to antioxidant supplementation for cataracts. For more information, see the updates to the Vitamin E Supplements Review and the Selenium Supplements Review >> 

Vitamin E, Selenium Can Increase Cancer Risk

2/27/2014
In some men, taking high doses of vitamin E or selenium may double the risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer, according to a recent analysis. For details, including the dose, see the updates to the Vitamin E Supplements Review >> and the Selenium Supplements Review >>   

Antioxidants: Too Much of a Good Thing?

8/25/2013
A new, long-term study of Americans found the risk of dying over the course of the study (about 14 years) was lowest when antioxidant levels in the blood were above the lowest levels (the bottom 20% of the population). However, for people in the top 20% of blood levels for vitamins A and E, the risk of death increased compared to people with moderate levels. For selenium and beta-carotene, there was no significant difference in the death rate between moderate and high levels, although for vitamin C some additional benefit was seen at high, but not the highest, levels.
 
The results suggest that antioxidant supplements may be useful for those who are nutritionally deficient, but, as noted by the researchers, "beyond a certain threshold, higher levels do not lead to additional benefit, and may potentially be toxic." More details (including specific serum levels) are found in the linked updates to the following reviews, which include our test results and quality ratings of products:
 
 
  
  
Load More…

Related CL Answers (6)

Do any supplements reduce side of effects of chemotherapy?

Find out if there are any supplements that can help with the side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, nerve damage and others. ConsumerLab.com's answer explains.

Supplements & Chemotherapy Side Effects -- chemotherapy medicine and capsules

Do hair loss supplements work, such as Viviscal?

Vitamins and supplements that may help with hair loss and thinning, including saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, protein, iron, and vitamin D.

Supplements for Hair Loss -- woman looking at hairbrush

Do any supplements help prevent or improve cataracts?

Find out which supplements may help with cataracts, including selenium and vitamins A, B1, B3, C, and E.

Which supplements help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer?

Find out which supplements may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, including folate, fiber, selenium, and vitamin D.

Supplements and Colorectal Cancer Risk -- colon cancer diagnosis form and supplements

Are supplements with amino acid chelated minerals better than those with other forms of minerals?

Learn more about chelates, including evidence from clinical studies on selenium, iron, and magnesium.

Can supplements with antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamins A and E cause you to die sooner?

Learn more about antioxidants like beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin E, and their effect on mortality, or premature death.

Can Antioxidants Cause You to Die Sooner? -- antioxidant supplements and carrots

As a ConsumerLab.com member, you may print a copy of this report for your personal use.

You can access a special print version by clicking the "Print" icon in the upper right corner of this report. You can then use your web browser's print functions to print the whole report or just selected pages.

You may also email or post a link to this report using the web address above. Non-members using the link will see a free summary and can join to view the full report. Other means of copying or distributing this report, in part or full, are not permitted.

If you are sight-impaired and your computer is having trouble converting the text in this report to speech, contact us for assistance at Membership@ConsumerLab.com or by phone at 914-722-9149.