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Selenium Supplements Review

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

Tod Cooperman, M.D.
Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.
 
Updated March 02, 2021 Published June 28, 2019
Selenium Supplements Reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

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.

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Selenium supplement brands compared in this review

View Larger Image 6489_small_365-Selenium-Small-2019.png

365 [Whole Foods] Selenium 100 mcg

View Larger Image 6492_small_AllergyResearchGroup-Selenium-Small-2019 copy.png

Allergy Research Group Selenium Solution

View Larger Image 6499_small_GNC-Selenium-Small-2019.png

GNC Selenium 200 mcg

View Larger Image 6491_small_LifeExtension-Selenium-Small-2019.png

Life Extension Super Selenium Complex

View Larger Image 6493_small_MegaFood-Selenium-Small-2019.png

Mega Food Selenium

View Larger Image 6498_small_NaturalFactors-Selenium-Small-2019.png

Natural Factors Selenium 200 mcg

View Larger Image 6497_small_NaturesWay-Selenium-Small-2019.png

Nature's Way Selenium 200 mcg

View Larger Image 6495_small_NOW-Selenium-Small-2019.png

NOW Selenium 200 mcg

View Larger Image 6500_small_PuritansPride-Selenium-Small-2019.png

Puritan's Pride High Potency Selenium 200 mcg

View Larger Image 6490_small_SpringValley-Selenium-Small-2019.png

Spring Valley [Walmart] Selenium 200 mcg

View Larger Image 6494_small_SwansonUltra-Selenium-Small-2019.png

Swanson Ultra SelenoExcell

View Larger Image 6496_small_TheVitaminShoppe-Selenium-Small-2019.png

The Vitamin Shoppe Selenium

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

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Additional Information
Tested through CL's Quality Certification Program prior to, or after initial posting of this Product Review.