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Nutrient Library - Selenium

Selenium

• What does it do?
• How much do you need?
• What are the best food sources?
• What happens if you don’t get enough?
• What happens if you get too much?
• What are some recipes that are good sources of selenium?
• Back to Nutrient Library

What does it do?

Selenium is a mineral that is needed in small amounts by the body to help regulate the thyroid hormones and support a healthy immune system. One of selenium’s most important roles is as an antioxidant helping to prevent cell damage due to free radicals.

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How much do you need?

The following table lists the recommended intake for healthy people based on current scientific information.

NOTE: The table is adapted from the Dietary Reference Intakes reports. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), when available, are in bold type; Adequate Intakes (AIs) are followed by an asterisk(*). RDAs and AIs may both be used as goals for individual intake. RDAs are set to meet the needs of almost all individuals (97 to 98 percent) in a group. For healthy breastfed infants, the AI is the mean intake. The AI for other life stage and gender groups is believed to cover the needs of all individuals in the group, but lack of data means the percentage of individuals covered by this intake cannot be specified with confidence.
UL = The maximum level of daily nutrient intake that is likely to pose no risk of adverse effects. Unless otherwise specified, the UL represents total intake from food, water and supplements.

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What are the best food sources?

The selenium content of foods can vary widely depending on how much is in the soil where an animal is raised or a plant grown. The richest sources of selenium include seafood, meat, cereals and grains. See more food sources and calculate your daily intake.

In the United States and Canada, animals that are cultivated for food, such as cows, pigs and chickens, are usually fed diets supplemented with selenium and thus, amounts in meats, milk and eggs tend to be relatively consistent. While the body more easily absorbs the selenium in plant sources than that in animal sources, fruits and vegetables vary greatly in their content. However, the large food-distribution systems in North America tend to even these differences out, therefore preventing low intakes in individuals living in selenium-poor areas.

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What happens if you don’t get enough?

Selenium deficiency is rare in the United States. Selenium deficiency itself is not thought to cause illness, but instead predisposes children and adolescents to two specific conditions, Keshan disease and Kashin-Beck disease. These diseases can affect the heart, bones and joints.

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What happens if you get too much?

Selenium toxicity is rare in the United States. That said, high doses of selenium can be very toxic and high blood levels can result in a condition termed selenosis. The most frequently reported symptoms of selenosis include brittle hair and nails, gastrointestinal upset and hair loss. Other symptoms include garlic-breath odor, skin rash, fatigue, irritability and mild nerve damage.

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What are some recipes that are good sources of selenium?

• BBQ Chicken Sandwich
• Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin & Apricot Salad
• Grilled Steak with Beets & Radicchio
• Roasted Portobello Caps
• Rustic Pesto Tart
• Sherried Mushrooms
• Shrimp & Cheddar Grits
• Skillet Tofu Parmigiana
• Tilapia Corn Chowder

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