Best Time Of Day To Take Selenium

Selenium is an essential trace mineral that performs many crucial functions for human health. It regulates the immune system, acts as an antioxidant, supports thyroid health, promotes heart health and more.

Dietary supplements can help you maintain healthy levels of selenium. But what is the best time to take selenium supplements for the greatest results? Further, should you take selenium with or without food for the best absorption and comfort?

We're digging into the answers in this guide, helping you with the best ways to take selenium supplements to optimally support your health. Let's get to it!

Key Takeaways

• The best time to take selenium supplements has not yet been defined by conclusive research.
• Taking selenium with meals may improve its absorption and reduce the risk of stomach upset.
• Selenium works synergistically with antioxidant vitamins E and C, which may enhance its benefits. Timing them together can help selenium to work its best.
• The upper intake level of selenium for adults is 400 micrograms per day. Stick to recommended dosage, below the safe upper limit, to avoid the toxicity of high serum selenium levels.
• Always choose high-quality selenium supplements from reputable manufacturers to ensure good absorption, product quality and safety.
• NutriGenesis® is the best form of selenium to look for when buying supplements. These nutrients are lab-grown to supply all natural cofactors, for enhanced absorption and digestive comfort.

Top supplements to buy with selenium:

• The top multivitamin to buy for foundational selenium support is Performance Lab® NutriGenesis® Multi. To get the best deal on NutriGenesis Multi, ">click here.
• If you're looking to buy the best immune supplement with selenium, nothing beats Performance Lab® Immune. To get the best deal on Immune, click here.

Read on as we reveal all about selenium—what it is, why it's important, where to find it, and the best time to take it.

When Is The Best Time To Take Selenium?

When supplementing with selenium, timing can play a role in maximizing its absorption and effectiveness.

While there's no one-size-fits-all answer due to individual differences in diet, lifestyle, and health status, there are general guidelines and timing options that might offer certain advantages.

Let's take a quick look at some timing options for selenium supplementation:

With Meals

Taking selenium supplements with meals can enhance absorption. The presence of food can stimulate digestive secretions that aid in breaking down the supplement for better absorption. Additionally, fat-containing meals might further aid the absorption, especially if selenium supplementation is in the form of selenomethionine, a common type that's well absorbed.

Advantages:

• Improved absorption with food.
• Reduced risk of gastrointestinal discomfort.

Morning

For some, taking selenium in the morning with breakfast can help maintain a consistent supplementation routine, ensuring daily intake. Morning selenium supplementation can also work in concert with the body's natural circadian rhythms, potentially enhancing the antioxidant and thyroid-supportive roles of selenium.

Advantages:

• Consistency in supplementation.
• Potentially aligns with bodily functions that are more active during the day.

Evening

Selenium supplementation in the evening might benefit those who have dietary restrictions or specific meal timings that make morning or daytime supplementation inconvenient. Evening selenium supplementation can be particularly useful if selenium is taken to support sleep quality, given its role in overall health and possibly in regulating circadian rhythms.

Advantages:

• Convenience for those who skip breakfast or eat lightly during the day.
• Potential support for sleep through overall health improvement.

Split Doses

If a higher dose of selenium is recommended, splitting the dose between morning and evening can help maintain steady selenium levels throughout the day and minimize potential side effects. This approach is beneficial for individuals who require supplementation for specific health conditions that necessitate higher doses.

Advantages:

• Steady levels of selenium throughout the day.
• Reduced risk of side effects associated with higher doses.

Ultimately, the best timing for selenium supplementation is when it fits seamlessly into one's lifestyle and dietary habits, ensuring consistent intake.

Now that you know when is the best time to take selenium dietary supplements, let's delve into some more details on selenium: What it does, dosages, food sources and more.

What is Selenium and Why Do You Need it?

As a trace mineral, selenium is only required in tiny amounts—roughly 55mcg daily—to support normal body functions.

However, don't underestimate its power; this one is small but mighty. It has a hefty hand in a number of essential roles in the body, including:

Immune function: Selenium concentration is higher in immune tissues (liver, spleen, lymph nodes). Low levels are associated with impairment of key immune cells, including B cells, T cells, lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells.⁽¹⁾

Reproductive health: Where men's health is concerned, selenium is non-negotiable. It's needed for proper sperm function—its morphology, growth, development, and motility. Higher levels of selenium may help with male infertility and support testosterone biosynthesis.⁽²⁾

Thyroid: Studies suggest that both an iodine and selenium deficiency can exacerbate hypothyroidism and thyroid hormone metabolism concerns due to the mineral's role in supporting the conversion of T4 to its active form, T3.⁽³⁾

Cell health and inflammation: As possibly one of selenium's most important roles, it exerts powerful antioxidant properties. Antioxidant supplements help protect cells from free radical damage and regulate inflammatory responses.⁽⁴⁾

Heart health: Selenium is important for cardiovascular health. It helps to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation associated with coronary heart disease and greater cardiovascular risk.⁽⁵⁾

Mood and cognitive function: Several studies show that selenium is important for brain health and mood. Low selenium levels appear to interfere with the turnover rate of certain neurotransmitters, which can alter mood states and increase the risk of depression, anxiety, and confusion.⁽⁶⁾

Note on selenium and cancers: Research studies have found that higher levels of selenium in the body are linked to a lower risk of developing several types of cancer, including colon cancer, prostate cancer, nonmelanoma skin cancer and others.⁽⁷⁾

However, a review of randomized clinical trial data has also linked selenium supplementation to higher risk of prostate cancer and higher risk of developing diabetes.⁽⁸⁾

The lesson: Selenium supplements (and other supplements) cannot prevent or treat cancer patients, and it's important to keep your levels of selenium in the right range -- not too low, not too high.

How much selenium should you consume daily?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for selenium varies by age, sex, and life stage:

Infants:

• 0-6 months: 15 micrograms (mcg) per day
• 7-12 months: 20 mcg per day

Children:

• 1-3 years: 20 mcg per day
• 4-8 years: 30 mcg per day
• 9-13 years: 40 mcg per day

Adolescents and Adults:

• Males and females 14 and older: 55 mcg per day
• Pregnant Women: 60 mcg per day
• Breastfeeding Women: 70 mcg per day

It's important to note that while it is essential, too much serum selenium can cause toxicity. The upper intake levels of selenium (the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects) for adults is set at 400 mcg per day.

Some people fall short on Selenium Intake.

Selenium deficiency is relatively rare in the United States. Most Americans consume adequate amounts of selenium.

According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the average daily selenium intake for Americans age 2 years and older is approximately 108.5 mcg from foods and 120.8 mcg from foods and supplements together.

When selenium deficiency does occur, it can raise several health risks. Selenium deficiency is also associated with symptoms of cognitive decline, mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, muscle weakness, fatigue, reproductive issues, thyroid function issues, hair loss, cardiovascular problems and weakened immune systems.

Selenium deficiency may also lead to increased prostate cancer risk, as well as increased risk for skin cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and gastrointestinal cancers.

Globally, insufficient selenium intake has been estimated to affect up to 1 billion people.⁽⁹⁾ Risks of selenium deficiency can vary based on factors such as soil quality where food is grown, medical history, and the body's ability to absorb selenium.

In the U.S., while the average intake is above the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 55 mcg for adults, variations in soil selenium content can lead to regional differences in selenium intake.

Individuals in areas with low-selenium soil, those with certain health conditions, and those undergoing kidney dialysis or living with HIV may be at higher risk for selenium deficiency.

To maintain optimal selenium levels, incorporating foods high in selenium into your diet. In cases where diet alone may not provide adequate selenium, supplements may be considered.

Food sources of Selenium

Here are some of the best food sources of trace mineral selenium, including the approximate amount of selenium they supply per serving:

• Brazil nuts: 68-91 mcg per nut (providing more than the daily value in just one nut).
• Yellowfin tuna: 92 mcg per 3 ounces.
• Halibut, cooked: 47 mcg per 3 ounces.
• Sardines, canned in oil: 45 mcg per 3 ounces.
• Shrimp, canned: 40 mcg per 3 ounces.
• Beef steak (bottom round, roasted): 33 mcg per 3 ounces.
• Turkey, boneless, roasted: 31 mcg per 3 ounces.
• Chicken, light meat, roasted: 22 mcg per 3 ounces.
• Egg, hard-boiled: 15 mcg per large egg.
• Cottage cheese, 1% milkfat: 20 mcg per cup.
• Brown rice, long-grain, cooked: 19 mcg per cup

These values can vary based on factors such as the selenium levels in soil where the food was produced.

Best food source of Selenium: Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are notably the most selenium-rich food. However, due to their high selenium levels, it's important to consume Brazil nuts in moderation to avoid selenium toxicity.

For a balanced selenium intake, including a variety of these foods in your diet can be beneficial.

Did you know? Certain vegetables, when grown in selenium-rich soil, can contribute a small amount of selenium to your diet. But overall, choices like seafood, meats, eggs and other protein foods are best. For this reason, vegetarians and vegans may opt for selenium dietary supplements to maintain a healthy plasma selenium levels.

Why take a selenium supplement?

Selenium supplementation can help people with deficiency or even just suboptimal levels to get their selenium status back up to par.

Certain groups of people might have an increased need for selenium supplements due to various factors that can affect selenium intake or absorption:

• Vegan and vegetarians: Individuals on some restrictive diets may not get enough selenium-rich foods and therefore might need to consider supplementation.
• People with Gastrointestinal Issues: Some digestive concerns impair nutrient absorption and may necessitate selenium supplementation.
• Individuals Undergoing Kidney Dialysis: Dialysis can remove selenium from the blood, and patients with kidney failure may also have lower selenium intake.
• People Living with HIV: Selenium levels are often lower in individuals with HIV, potentially due to inadequate dietary intake, losses due to diarrhea, or malabsorption
• People who live in Areas with Low-Selenium Soil: People living in areas with low-selenium soil may not get enough selenium from diet alone and may consider selenium supplementation.

While a dietary supplement can help people to avoid selenium deficiency, it's important to stick to safe, reasonable doses that are well below levels associated with selenium toxicity.

It's also important to take dietary supplements with selenium that are of the highest quality, using forms of the mineral that are both easy to absorb and comfortable on the digestive system.

What kind of supplements provide selenium? A multivitamin can (and should) supply selenium. Antioxidant supplements and immune supplements may also feature selenium.

We'll cover some top supplements with selenium at the end of this guide.

What Improves Selenium Absorption?

To enhance the absorption of selenium supplements, consider these factors:

• Taking with Vitamins: Consuming selenium with vitamins E and A may improve its absorption and utilization due to their synergistic antioxidant effects.
• Meal Timing: Taking selenium supplements with meals can increase absorption, as the presence of food stimulates digestive secretions that aid in mineral uptake.
• Adequate Protein Intake: Selenium absorption can be improved with sufficient protein in the diet since selenium is incorporated into selenoproteins.
• Healthy Gut: Maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal tract supports the absorption of all nutrients, including selenium. Probiotics and a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and prebiotic fiber can support gut health. Learn about a high-quality prebiotic supplement.
• Moderate Mineral Intake: Ensuring a balanced intake of other minerals, especially those that are known to compete with selenium for absorption, can help. It's important to avoid excessive intakes of minerals like zinc and calcium close to when you take selenium.

Adopting these strategies can help maximize the absorption and effectiveness of selenium supplements.

Did you know? Some synthetic forms of vitamins and minerals are harder to absorb because they are missing cofactors found in nature. Cultured nutrients (also known as fermented nutrients) are a lab-grown option that includes natural cofactors, thereby facilitating absorption.

The selenium form may be labeled as selenium enriched yeast because yeast is used to "grow" it in a lab.

NutriGenesis is one form of cultured nutrients found in quality supplements, including selenium supplements. Learn more about NutriGenesis®

What Decreases Selenium Absorption?

Several factors can reduce absorption of oral selenium supplementation, including:

1. Certain Medications: Some medications, like antacids and cholesterol-lowering drugs, as well as birth control pills, can interfere with selenium absorption.
2. Mineral Interactions: High levels of minerals (like zinc and calcium) taken simultaneously can compete with selenium for absorption pathways, potentially decreasing its absorption.
3. Phytic Acid: Present in whole grains and legumes, phytic acid can bind to selenium, among other minerals, reducing their absorption.
4. Gastrointestinal Issues: Conditions that affect digestion or the health of the gastrointestinal tract, may impair the absorption of various nutrients, including selenium.
5. Excessive Fiber Intake: While fiber is crucial for digestive health, an excessively high fiber diet can interfere with the absorption of trace minerals like selenium.

To ease these absorption issues, it might be helpful to space out the consumption of selenium supplements from potential interfering substances.

With selenium supplementation, it's important to have complete absorption and comfortable digestion of the mineral. NutriGenesis is the form to look for.

Because they are grown – not synthesized or isolated – NutriGenesis® nutrients are nature-identical: Mirroring the exact nutrient-with-cofactors structure found in whole foods.

This familiar structure is more easily absorbed and utilized by the body – making NutriGenesis® nutrients more effective than other forms.

Best Selenium Supplements

When it comes to selenium supplementation, it's important to buy products from reputable companies.

NutriGenesis® Multi for Men and for Women

A multivitamin is a great way to promote and maintain healthy levels of selenium in the human body. And Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi is the top multivitamin products on the market.

Ingredients: 24 cultured essential vitamins and minerals complexed with cofactors for optimal potency.

NutriGenesis® Multi contains delivers your daily intake for selenium complexed with natural cofactors like probiotics, fiber, enzymes, and antioxidants that enhance the nutrient's bioavailability and health-supportive activity. It's a clean, eco-friendly approach to essential nutrients that optimizes absorption and digestive comfort for selenium and across the board.

Features

• 24 essential nutrients, including 17 key vitamins and minerals at 100% or more of their Daily Value.
• Each serving of Multi for Men supplies 150 mcg selenium; each serving of Multi for Women supplies 100 mcg of selenium per serving.
• The nutrients are encapsulated in 100% plant-based, prebiotic-infused, gluten-free NutriCaps® to promote digestive health.
• Performance Lab® design: Ultraclean, free from synthetic additives, colors, preservatives, dairy, gluten, allergens and non-GMO.
• For quality assurance, it undergoes third-party testing, ensuring it meets its nutritional claims.

Shop Performance Lab® NutriGenesis®

Performance Lab® Immune

This is today's most dynamic immune performance supplement: Broad-range support for complex immune challenges.

Ingredients: Vitamin D3 (liposomal from lichen), Vitamin C (via NutriGenesis®), Selenium (via NutriGenesis®), Zinc (via NutriGenesis®), Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (Postbiotic), Glutathione.

*Each serving of Performance Lab® Immune supplies 25 mcg of Selenium as NutriGenesis®, plus vitamin C that helps it work better.

Performance Lab® Immune first helps restore immune defenses that are weakened by nutritional shortfalls, stress, toxins and overtraining. Then it activates 5 types of immune cells, helping them to coordinate, multiply and perform. From day to day and season to season, Performance Lab® Immune helps your immune system to fight, adapt and evolve to best defend your health.

Features

• Unique postbiotic activates five types of immune cells
• Formulated to help increase the number and activity of immune cells
• Maintains work productivity and performance via overall immune wellness
• Fortifies first-line immune defenses and long-range immune responses
• Replenishes antioxidants for immune system offense and defense
• Helps fight immune challenges and fatigue associated with exercise

Just one capsule daily is all that's required to support your body's immune performance across all activities and all seasons.

Shop Performance Lab® Immune

Performance Lab® Selenium

The most advanced selenium formula: Supporting everyday vitality and whole-body healthcare.

Ingredients: 100 mcg selenium (via NutriGenesis®).

Performance Lab® Selenium uses our unique NutriGenesis® technology to supply clean selenium in food-identical form.

NutriGenesis® Selenium is highly bioavailable, meaning it can be readily absorbed by the body within hours of taking it.

First, you may experience higher energy levels. More vitality. Over time you'll notice a stronger immune system. Healthier hair, skin and nails. Enhanced overall health & wellbeing.

Features

• Antioxidant support: Helps shield against the damaging effects of free radicals, promoting overall cellular health, and aiding in chronic disease prevention.
• Immune function: Facilitates the growth and function of immune cells for robust immunity.
• Thyroid function: Supports normal thyroid function to help balance energy levels, promote healthy metabolism, and enhance overall vitality.
• Beauty: Contributes to tissue integrity and protects against oxidative damage. Supporting healthy skin, hair, and nails.
• Reproductive system support: Contributes to reproductive health by promoting sperm production and function in men, and aiding in the development of eggs and hormonal balance in women.
• Healthy aging: Studies suggest that higher selenium levels may be associated with longer telomeres, the DNA-protecting cellular structures. Longer telomeres are often recognized as a marker of overall cellular health and longevity.

Just one capsule daily is all that's required to support your body's immune performance across all activities and all seasons.

Shop Performance Lab® Selenium

Conclusion

Selenium deficiency is rare, but some populations may need a little help keeping their selenium levels in a healthy range. Oral selenium supplementation can help.

Figuring out when to take selenium is key to getting the most out of it. It's smart to take it with meals to help your body absorb it better. However, you should also make sure it doesn’t clash with other minerals like calcium and zinc, which can make it harder for your body to use the selenium.

Eating foods high in selenium, like Brazil nuts, fish, eggs, and mushrooms, can help you get enough of this nutrient without needing a supplement. However, for individuals with specific dietary restrictions or increased nutritional needs, supplementation becomes a viable route to ensure adequate selenium levels. Picking the right selenium dietary supplements is important. You should look for one that your body can easily absorb.

NutriGenesis vitamins and minerals are a good choice for selenium (and other essentials) because they are made in a way that's close to how these nutrients are found in nature, making them easier for your body to absorb and utilize.

Dietary supplements discussed above that use NutriGenesis vitamins and minerals supply safe and effective levels of selenium. This is important because too much selenium can result in selenium toxicity, and too little might not help at all.

Ultimately, consulting with a healthcare professional can provide personalized guidance, ensuring that selenium supplementation contributes effectively to your overall well-being and nutritional balance.