PlainVitamins

mineral

Selenium supplements

Half of the 7,658 selenium supplements in the NIH label database that print an amount list 55 mcg or less per serving; the middle half list 27 mcg to 100 mcg, and 1 in 128 of the 7,541 with a plausible amount give more than the adult upper limit at the most servings their labels direct (DSLD version 9.4.0, January 2026). The 182 products whose only supplement ingredient is selenium list a median of 200 mcg, and 1 in 91 of them give more than the upper limit.

Products listing it
7,9347,658 print an amount; 259 list it inside a blend without an amount
Median per serving
55 mcgmiddle half 27 mcg to 100 mcg
FDA Daily Value
55 mcgthe median is 100% of it
Adult upper limit (IOM)
400 mcg59 products go above it a day

How much selenium do supplements contain?

The median product lists 55 mcg per serving. One in ten lists 16 mcg or less, one in ten 200 mcg or more. The amount printed most often is 200 mcg (1,155 products).

Products by amount of selenium per serving

7,668 products, log scale; extreme 0.2% at each end left out of the drawing.

Selenium: products by amount per serving1 mcg10 mcg100 mcg3,000 mcgDaily Value 55 mcgUpper limit 400 mcg
Selenium: products by amount per serving1 mcg10 mcg100 mcg1,000 mcgDaily Value 55 mcgUpper limit 400 mcg
Selenium: products by amount per serving1 mcg3 mcg10 mcg100 mcg1,000 mcg10,000 mcgDaily Value 55 mcgUpper limit 400 mcg
Selenium: products by amount per serving1 mcg3 mcg10 mcg30 mcg100 mcg300 mcg1,000 mcg10,000 mcgDaily Value 55 mcgUpper limit 400 mcg
Selenium: products by amount per serving1 mcg3 mcg10 mcg30 mcg100 mcg300 mcg1,000 mcg3,000 mcg10,000 mcgDaily Value 55 mcgUpper limit 400 mcg
The amounts printed most often
Amount per servingProductsFor example
200 mcg1,155 Sport (GNC Mega Men); Maximum Nutrition Vanilla Bean (GNC Mega Men); Maximum Nutrition Vanilla Creme (GNC Women's Ultra Mega)
100 mcg928 Don't Pause For Women (ANTIAGING Institute of California); CSA Complete Spectrum Antioxidant (Viva Vitamins); White Flood (Controlled Labs)
50 mcg765 Natural Selenium 50 mcg (Vitamin World); 100% Natural E-400 IU With Selenium 50 mcg (Vitamin World); Complete Minerals Ultra Strength (Viva Vitamins)
70 mcg742 Ocular Formula (GNC Preventive Nutrition); Cell Protector (GNC Preventive Nutrition); Liver Formula (GNC Preventive Nutrition)
25 mcg481 Mega Vita-Gel (Vitamin World); Green Source (Radiance); Mega Vita-Min (Radiance)
55 mcg442 OptiCleanse Plus Rice Raspberry Lemonade (XYMOGEN); OptiCleanse Plus Rice Original (XYMOGEN); Advanced Formula Milltrium (Windmill)
20 mcg298 Little Angels (Maximum Living); Daily Multiple (Rexall Sundown Naturalist); Heart Health Support Pack (Nature's Bounty)
35 mcg278 Coral Calcium Plus (MicroTech Professional Formulations); Ultra-Pro Vanilla (Douglas Laboratories); Ultra-Pro Carob (Douglas Laboratories)
15 mcg144 Tablet Multi Vitamin and Mineral (Bronson); Antioxidant Formula (Nature Made); Iodine Plus-2 (Natural Living)
75 mcg138 Training-Peak (Inner Armour); Pro-Equalizer Protein Powder (Douglas Laboratories); VitaWorx (Douglas Laboratories)

Source: Supplement Facts rows of every product's current label, NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database version 9.4.0; amounts in one measure (weight).

How do the amounts compare with the Daily Value and the upper limit?

The FDA Daily Value for selenium is 55 mcg (adults and children 4 and older). The median product gives 100% of it per serving; the 90th percentile 364%.

The adult Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 400 mcg a day (total intake from food, water and supplements). At the most servings their labels direct, 59 of the 7,541 products with a plausible amount (0.8%) give more than that from the supplement alone (what counts as plausible).

The upper limit is for total intake from food, water and supplements unless stated, and does not apply under medical supervision. A label amount is what the maker printed. This is data, not advice: the NIH ODS fact sheets explain what each nutrient does.

Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv) (Daily Values); Institute of Medicine, DRI summary tables (2011) (upper limits); on reading them, the FDA's Daily Value page.

Which forms of selenium do labels name?

Selenomethionine is the form named most often: 3,041 of the 7,934 selenium products (38%), ahead of sodium selenate (709, 9%) and sodium selenite (660, 8%). A product naming two forms counts in both; the table below gives every form.

Products by the form of selenium on the label

Count, and the median amount per serving in that form.

Selenium by formSelenomethionine3,041, median 70 mcgSodium selenate709, median 55 mcgSodium selenite660, median 55 mcgSelenium glycinate463, median 55 mcgSelenium yeast351, median 75 mcg
Selenium by formSelenomethionine3,041, median 70 mcgSodium selenate709, median 55 mcgSodium selenite660, median 55 mcgSelenium glycinate463, median 55 mcgSelenium yeast351, median 75 mcg
Selenium by formSelenomethionine3,041, median 70 mcgSodium selenate709, median 55 mcgSodium selenite660, median 55 mcgSelenium glycinate463, median 55 mcgSelenium yeast351, median 75 mcg
Selenium by formSelenomethionine3,041, median 70 mcgSodium selenate709, median 55 mcgSodium selenite660, median 55 mcgSelenium glycinate463, median 55 mcgSelenium yeast351, median 75 mcg
Selenium by formSelenomethionine3,041, median 70 mcgSodium selenate709, median 55 mcgSodium selenite660, median 55 mcgSelenium glycinate463, median 55 mcgSelenium yeast351, median 75 mcg
Selenium: products naming each form, and their median amount per serving (DSLD version 9.4.0)
FormProductsShare of selenium productsMedian per serving
Selenomethionine3,04138%70 mcg
Sodium selenate7099%55 mcg
Sodium selenite6608%55 mcg
Selenium glycinate4636%55 mcg
Selenium yeast3514%75 mcg

Source: the form each label gives for its selenium row (DSLD "forms"), current labels.

Which products list the most selenium?

On-market products, per serving, with a plausible amount: the rule leaves out likely entry slips, such as an amount far beyond every other label with no %DV or strength on the label to back it (each product page still shows its own amount, marked).

Have the amounts changed over the years?

Products whose current label entered DSLD in 2011 list a median of 70 mcg; those entered in 2025, 70 mcg.

Median selenium per serving by the year the label entered DSLD (years with 20+ products)
YearProductsMedian per serving
201117070 mcg
201254070 mcg
201370450 mcg
201432770 mcg
201533767 mcg
201638960 mcg
201740770 mcg
201832055 mcg
201938150 mcg
202071755 mcg
202161055 mcg
202269455 mcg
202368760 mcg
202474455 mcg
202564170 mcg

Source: DSLD label entry dates and amounts, current labels.

In which products and brands?

Products listing selenium by DSLD product type

Selenium by product typeOther Combinations6,037Multi-Vitamin and Mineral (MVM)643Botanical with Nutrients592Mineral313Single Vitamin and Mineral39Amino acid/Protein26Botanical14Non-Nutrient/Non-Botanical4
Selenium by product typeOther Combinations6,037Multi-Vitamin and Mineral (MVM)643Botanical with Nutrients592Mineral313Single Vitamin and Mineral39Amino acid/Protein26Botanical14Non-Nutrient/Non-Botanical4
Selenium by product typeOther Combinations6,037Multi-Vitamin and Mineral (MVM)643Botanical with Nutrients592Mineral313Single Vitamin and Mineral39Amino acid/Protein26Botanical14Non-Nutrient/Non-Botanical4
Selenium by product typeOther Combinations6,037Multi-Vitamin and Mineral (MVM)643Botanical with Nutrients592Mineral313Single Vitamin and Mineral39Amino acid/Protein26Botanical14Non-Nutrient/Non-Botanical4
Selenium by product typeOther Combinations6,037Multi-Vitamin and Mineral (MVM)643Botanical with Nutrients592Mineral313Single Vitamin and Mineral39Amino acid/Protein26Botanical14Non-Nutrient/Non-Botanical4

Brands listing it most: Douglas Laboratories (221), Nature's Plus (173), Nature's Way (156), Bronson (68), New Chapter (63), Rainbow Light (62), Kirkman (60), MegaFood (56), XYMOGEN (56), NOW (56).

Every product listing selenium

7,934 products, A to Z by name (page 152 of 159), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.

Where next?