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.
| Amount per serving | Products | For example |
|---|---|---|
| 200 mcg | 1,155 | Sport (GNC Mega Men); Maximum Nutrition Vanilla Bean (GNC Mega Men); Maximum Nutrition Vanilla Creme (GNC Women's Ultra Mega) |
| 100 mcg | 928 | Don't Pause For Women (ANTIAGING Institute of California); CSA Complete Spectrum Antioxidant (Viva Vitamins); White Flood (Controlled Labs) |
| 50 mcg | 765 | Natural Selenium 50 mcg (Vitamin World); 100% Natural E-400 IU With Selenium 50 mcg (Vitamin World); Complete Minerals Ultra Strength (Viva Vitamins) |
| 70 mcg | 742 | Ocular Formula (GNC Preventive Nutrition); Cell Protector (GNC Preventive Nutrition); Liver Formula (GNC Preventive Nutrition) |
| 25 mcg | 481 | Mega Vita-Gel (Vitamin World); Green Source (Radiance); Mega Vita-Min (Radiance) |
| 55 mcg | 442 | OptiCleanse Plus Rice Raspberry Lemonade (XYMOGEN); OptiCleanse Plus Rice Original (XYMOGEN); Advanced Formula Milltrium (Windmill) |
| 20 mcg | 298 | Little Angels (Maximum Living); Daily Multiple (Rexall Sundown Naturalist); Heart Health Support Pack (Nature's Bounty) |
| 35 mcg | 278 | Coral Calcium Plus (MicroTech Professional Formulations); Ultra-Pro Vanilla (Douglas Laboratories); Ultra-Pro Carob (Douglas Laboratories) |
| 15 mcg | 144 | Tablet Multi Vitamin and Mineral (Bronson); Antioxidant Formula (Nature Made); Iodine Plus-2 (Natural Living) |
| 75 mcg | 138 | 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.
| Form | Products | Share of selenium products | Median per serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selenomethionine | 3,041 | 38% | 70 mcg |
| Sodium selenate | 709 | 9% | 55 mcg |
| Sodium selenite | 660 | 8% | 55 mcg |
| Selenium glycinate | 463 | 6% | 55 mcg |
| Selenium yeast | 351 | 4% | 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).
- Oligo SeleniumMBi Nutraceuticals900 mcg
- H2plxPriority One Nutritional Supplements800 mcg
- SkinRestoreHerbs SRA800 mcg
- Ultimate Selenium ConcentrateComplete H2O Minerals750 mcg
- Sports Blend Electrolite Liquid MineralsComplete H2O Minerals600 mcg
- Drink WiseVitinity500 mcg
- ViraGuardEquip400 mcg
- SeleniumZemvelo400 mcg
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.
| Year | Products | Median per serving |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 170 | 70 mcg |
| 2012 | 540 | 70 mcg |
| 2013 | 704 | 50 mcg |
| 2014 | 327 | 70 mcg |
| 2015 | 337 | 67 mcg |
| 2016 | 389 | 60 mcg |
| 2017 | 407 | 70 mcg |
| 2018 | 320 | 55 mcg |
| 2019 | 381 | 50 mcg |
| 2020 | 717 | 55 mcg |
| 2021 | 610 | 55 mcg |
| 2022 | 694 | 55 mcg |
| 2023 | 687 | 60 mcg |
| 2024 | 744 | 55 mcg |
| 2025 | 641 | 70 mcg |
Source: DSLD label entry dates and amounts, current labels.
In which products and brands?
Products listing selenium by DSLD product type
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 63 of 159), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Life EssentialsVitamin Discount Center · off the market25 mcg
- Life EssentialsRon Teeguarden Nutraceuticals25 mcg
- Life Extension Mix CapsulesLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extension Mix Capsules without CopperLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extension Mix PowderLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extension Mix Powder Without CopperLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extension Mix TabletsLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extension Mix Tablets with Extra NiacinLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extension Mix Tablets With Extra Niacin & Without CopperLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extension Mix Tablets without CopperLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extenstion Mix CapsulesLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extenstion Mix Capsules Without CopperLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extenstion Mix PowderLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extenstion Mix Powder Without CopperLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extenstion Mix TabletsLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extenstion Mix Tablets With Extra NiacinLife Extension200 mcg
- Life Extenstion Mix Tablets Without CopperLife Extension200 mcg
- Life For MenReaction Nutrition · off the market200 mcg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Life For WomenReaction Nutrition · off the market200 mcg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Life Force Green MultipleSource Naturals100 mcg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Life Force MultipleSource Naturals100 mcg
- Life Force Multiple No IronSource Naturals100 mcg
- Life Guard ChewablesPerque2 mcg
- Life Guard Mini TabsulesPerque25 mcg
- Life Guard TabsulesPerque50 mcg
- Life Guard Tabsules Without PABA Or FolicinPerque50 mcg
- Life MineralsSource Naturals · off the market100 mcg
- Life Multi CompleteVitaCeutical Labs25 mcg
- Life Multi CompleteVitamer Laboratories25 mcg
- Life Shake Soy Protein French VanillaShaklee · off the market13 mcg
- Life Shake StrawberryShaklee · off the market13 mcg
- Life with IronShaklee70 mcg
- Life Without IronShaklee70 mcg
- Life's EnergyLife's Fortune25 mcg
- Life's Essentials PlusVitabase200 mcg
- Life's VitalityKLEENIQ · off the market50 mcg
- Life's VitalityVitalabs50 mcg
- Life's Vitality Multi Vitamin/Mineral ComplexLee Haney's Nutritional Support Systems50 mcg
- LifeEssencePure Essence Labs200 mcg
- LifeEssencePure Essence200 mcg
- LifeEssence MenPure Essence150 mcg
- LifeEssence Powder Lemon-Lime FlavorPure Essence200 mcg
- LifeEssence WomenPure Essence · off the market150 mcg
- LifePakPharmanex · off the market70 mcg
- LifePak Anti-AgingPharmanex · off the market70 mcg
- LifePak NanoPharmanex · off the market70 mcg
- LifePak PreNatalPharmanex · off the market35 mcg
- LifePak PrimePharmanex · off the market70 mcg
- LifePak TeenPharmanex · off the market35 mcg
- LifePak WomenPharmanex · off the market70 mcg