Key TakeawaysSelenium is a crucial micronutrient that protects cells from damage and boosts immune function.Selenium has been linked to heart health and longevity, but more research is needed to confirm its anti-aging effects.Most people in the U.S. can get enough selenium through a balanced diet.Selenium, sometimes called “the longevity element,” is a micronutrient with antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage.Research suggests thatseleniumsupports healthy aging and reduces heart disease risk.A recent study found that in the Bama Yao Autonomous County of China—where the residents are known for their longevity—its soil is rich with selenium.“Selenium helps with cell growth and thyroid function and is known to boost our immune function as well,” saidVanessa King, MS, RDN, CDCES, a clinical nutrition manager for Queen’s Health System in Oahu, Hawaii and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.The body doesn’t produce selenium, so it has to be consumed via foods or supplements.However, unlike excessive water-soluble vitamins that are excreted in urine, excessive selenium builds up in the body and can be toxic, saidJeanette M. Andrade, PhD, RDN, LDN, an assistant professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Florida. Selenium toxicity could cause gastrointestinal problems, hair loss, kidney failure, neurological issues, and, in rare cases, death.“Most Americans get in a sufficient amount of selenium. You don’t need a lot,” Andrade told Verywell.How Much Selenium Do You Need?You only need small amounts of selenium to support your bodily functions, such as thyroid hormone metabolism and antioxidant defense.Most adults need 55 micrograms (mcg) of selenium daily, while pregnant and lactating adults require an additional 5–15 mcg per day.You can get selenium from many food sources, includingBrazil nuts, meat, seafood, vegetables, and grains. A large hard-boiled egg contains 15 mcg, a cup of cooked spaghetti provides 33 mcg, and 3 ounces of cooked shrimp offer 42 mcg of selenium.“If you’re following healthy eating and getting a variety of foods, you will meet your your selenium needs, especially in the U.S.,” King said.People living in areas with selenium-poor soil, like some parts of Asia, might not get enough of this mineral in their diet.Low selenium intake is linked to a serious heart condition called Keshan disease,which may weaken the heart’s ability to pump blood.However, selenium deficiency is rare in the U.S., so a supplement is usually not needed.“We really don’t recommend going over 400 micrograms per day. The average American gets a little over 100 micrograms a day. So we’re doing okay here in the U.S.,” King said.What to Know About Selenium and Your ThyroidWill Extra Selenium Boost Longevity?Many researchers want to understand the link between selenium and aging. A recent study associated dietary selenium intake with increased telomere length, a marker used to measure biological aging.Generally, shorter telomeres indicate aging and disease progression.Another recent study published in the journalFrontiers in Nutritionsuggests that moderate amounts of dietary selenium protect against cardiovascular disease and death. The observational study included data from over 25,000 American adults, but it does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between selenium and improved longevity.More research is needed before experts can recommend selenium as an anti-aging dietary component, but this is an important nutrient for overall health.“The bottom line is that if you’re following a healthy diet that is rich in foods that contain selenium, you will be improving your heart health and reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease,” King said.Should You Take Selenium Supplements for Better Sleep?What This Means For YouIncorporating selenium-rich foods like seafood, grains, and Brazil nuts into your diet can support your overall health. However, it’s important to avoid excessive intake, as high selenium levels can be harmful. Supplements are generally unnecessary unless you live in an area with selenium-poor soil.

Key TakeawaysSelenium is a crucial micronutrient that protects cells from damage and boosts immune function.Selenium has been linked to heart health and longevity, but more research is needed to confirm its anti-aging effects.Most people in the U.S. can get enough selenium through a balanced diet.

Key Takeaways

Selenium is a crucial micronutrient that protects cells from damage and boosts immune function.Selenium has been linked to heart health and longevity, but more research is needed to confirm its anti-aging effects.Most people in the U.S. can get enough selenium through a balanced diet.

Selenium, sometimes called “the longevity element,” is a micronutrient with antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage.

Research suggests thatseleniumsupports healthy aging and reduces heart disease risk.A recent study found that in the Bama Yao Autonomous County of China—where the residents are known for their longevity—its soil is rich with selenium.

“Selenium helps with cell growth and thyroid function and is known to boost our immune function as well,” saidVanessa King, MS, RDN, CDCES, a clinical nutrition manager for Queen’s Health System in Oahu, Hawaii and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

The body doesn’t produce selenium, so it has to be consumed via foods or supplements.

However, unlike excessive water-soluble vitamins that are excreted in urine, excessive selenium builds up in the body and can be toxic, saidJeanette M. Andrade, PhD, RDN, LDN, an assistant professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Florida. Selenium toxicity could cause gastrointestinal problems, hair loss, kidney failure, neurological issues, and, in rare cases, death.

“Most Americans get in a sufficient amount of selenium. You don’t need a lot,” Andrade told Verywell.

How Much Selenium Do You Need?

You only need small amounts of selenium to support your bodily functions, such as thyroid hormone metabolism and antioxidant defense.Most adults need 55 micrograms (mcg) of selenium daily, while pregnant and lactating adults require an additional 5–15 mcg per day.

You can get selenium from many food sources, includingBrazil nuts, meat, seafood, vegetables, and grains. A large hard-boiled egg contains 15 mcg, a cup of cooked spaghetti provides 33 mcg, and 3 ounces of cooked shrimp offer 42 mcg of selenium.

“If you’re following healthy eating and getting a variety of foods, you will meet your your selenium needs, especially in the U.S.,” King said.

People living in areas with selenium-poor soil, like some parts of Asia, might not get enough of this mineral in their diet.Low selenium intake is linked to a serious heart condition called Keshan disease,which may weaken the heart’s ability to pump blood.

However, selenium deficiency is rare in the U.S., so a supplement is usually not needed.

“We really don’t recommend going over 400 micrograms per day. The average American gets a little over 100 micrograms a day. So we’re doing okay here in the U.S.,” King said.

What to Know About Selenium and Your Thyroid

Will Extra Selenium Boost Longevity?

Many researchers want to understand the link between selenium and aging. A recent study associated dietary selenium intake with increased telomere length, a marker used to measure biological aging.Generally, shorter telomeres indicate aging and disease progression.

Another recent study published in the journalFrontiers in Nutritionsuggests that moderate amounts of dietary selenium protect against cardiovascular disease and death. The observational study included data from over 25,000 American adults, but it does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between selenium and improved longevity.

More research is needed before experts can recommend selenium as an anti-aging dietary component, but this is an important nutrient for overall health.

“The bottom line is that if you’re following a healthy diet that is rich in foods that contain selenium, you will be improving your heart health and reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease,” King said.

Should You Take Selenium Supplements for Better Sleep?

What This Means For YouIncorporating selenium-rich foods like seafood, grains, and Brazil nuts into your diet can support your overall health. However, it’s important to avoid excessive intake, as high selenium levels can be harmful. Supplements are generally unnecessary unless you live in an area with selenium-poor soil.

What This Means For You

Incorporating selenium-rich foods like seafood, grains, and Brazil nuts into your diet can support your overall health. However, it’s important to avoid excessive intake, as high selenium levels can be harmful. Supplements are generally unnecessary unless you live in an area with selenium-poor soil.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Florida Health.Selenium in diet.Alehagen U, Opstad TB, Alexander J, Larsson A, Aaseth J.Impact of selenium on biomarkers and clinical aspects related to ageing. A review.Biomolecules. 2021;11(10):1478. doi:10.3390/biom11101478Zhang Y, Meng S, Yu Y, Bi L, Tian J, Zhang L.Associations of dietary selenium intake with the risk of chronic diseases and mortality in US adults.Front Nutr. 2024;11:1363299. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1363299Li B, Liu X, Yu T, et al.Environmental selenium and human longevity: An ecogeochemical perspective.Chemosphere. 2024;347:140691. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140691National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Selenium: fact sheet for health professionals.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Selenium in diet.Liang C, Zhao R, Du J, Zhao G, Zhang Y.The association between dietary selenium intake and telomere length in hypertension.J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2024;26(8):990-996. doi:10.1111/jch.14861

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Florida Health.Selenium in diet.Alehagen U, Opstad TB, Alexander J, Larsson A, Aaseth J.Impact of selenium on biomarkers and clinical aspects related to ageing. A review.Biomolecules. 2021;11(10):1478. doi:10.3390/biom11101478Zhang Y, Meng S, Yu Y, Bi L, Tian J, Zhang L.Associations of dietary selenium intake with the risk of chronic diseases and mortality in US adults.Front Nutr. 2024;11:1363299. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1363299Li B, Liu X, Yu T, et al.Environmental selenium and human longevity: An ecogeochemical perspective.Chemosphere. 2024;347:140691. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140691National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Selenium: fact sheet for health professionals.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Selenium in diet.Liang C, Zhao R, Du J, Zhao G, Zhang Y.The association between dietary selenium intake and telomere length in hypertension.J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2024;26(8):990-996. doi:10.1111/jch.14861

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

University of Florida Health.Selenium in diet.Alehagen U, Opstad TB, Alexander J, Larsson A, Aaseth J.Impact of selenium on biomarkers and clinical aspects related to ageing. A review.Biomolecules. 2021;11(10):1478. doi:10.3390/biom11101478Zhang Y, Meng S, Yu Y, Bi L, Tian J, Zhang L.Associations of dietary selenium intake with the risk of chronic diseases and mortality in US adults.Front Nutr. 2024;11:1363299. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1363299Li B, Liu X, Yu T, et al.Environmental selenium and human longevity: An ecogeochemical perspective.Chemosphere. 2024;347:140691. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140691National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Selenium: fact sheet for health professionals.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Selenium in diet.Liang C, Zhao R, Du J, Zhao G, Zhang Y.The association between dietary selenium intake and telomere length in hypertension.J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2024;26(8):990-996. doi:10.1111/jch.14861

University of Florida Health.Selenium in diet.

Alehagen U, Opstad TB, Alexander J, Larsson A, Aaseth J.Impact of selenium on biomarkers and clinical aspects related to ageing. A review.Biomolecules. 2021;11(10):1478. doi:10.3390/biom11101478

Zhang Y, Meng S, Yu Y, Bi L, Tian J, Zhang L.Associations of dietary selenium intake with the risk of chronic diseases and mortality in US adults.Front Nutr. 2024;11:1363299. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1363299

Li B, Liu X, Yu T, et al.Environmental selenium and human longevity: An ecogeochemical perspective.Chemosphere. 2024;347:140691. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140691

National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Selenium: fact sheet for health professionals.

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Selenium in diet.

Liang C, Zhao R, Du J, Zhao G, Zhang Y.The association between dietary selenium intake and telomere length in hypertension.J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2024;26(8):990-996. doi:10.1111/jch.14861

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