- What is it? 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 does it do? 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 to 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 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.
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
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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