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Selenio: necesidades, suplementos y riesgos

Por Claire Mercier · Nutritionist, MSc10 min de lecturaPublicado el 12/09/2026
Fuentes
6
Afirmaciones validadas
3
Evidencia dominante
Establecido
Actualidad
12/09/2026
Selenio: necesidades, suplementos y riesgos

Selenium is essential in small amounts. That does not turn every capsule into health insurance. Before choosing a supplement, separate three questions: reference needs, selenium already supplied by food, and the risk of adding several sources.

01

¿Qué hace el selenio? Selenium forms part of selenoproteins involved in thyroid-hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, reproduction and cellular protection. Describing these functions does not promise that a supplement improves a disease or prevents an event.

02

Necesidades: una referencia, no una receta The NIH lists 55 µg per day for adults, 60 µg during pregnancy and 70 µg during breastfeeding. EFSA used another reference system in its scientific opinion: 70 µg per day for adults and 85 µg during breastfeeding. The difference shows that a reference depends on method and context.

These values concern total intake. They do not say which tablet dose to take. In kidney disease, dialysis, a very restricted diet or suspected deficiency, assessment should be individualised with a health professional.

03

¿La alimentación cubre las necesidades? Selenium is found in seafood, eggs, dairy, meat, grains, legumes and nuts; plant content varies with soil. This variability makes shortcuts based on one food unreliable. Brazil nuts can be rich in selenium, but their content varies widely: they are not a standardised dose.

04

Suplementos: cuándo comentarlos Supplements include selenomethionine, selenium-enriched yeast, selenite and selenate. The form name alone does not prove clinical superiority. The elemental selenium amount on the label and the total from other products matter more for safety.

A supplement may be discussed when a professional identifies low intake, a specific situation or a deficiency to correct. It does not replace diagnosis of thyroid disease and should not be presented as universal treatment.

05

Lo que las pruebas no prometen Available evidence does not support recommending selenium supplements to prevent cancer or protect the prostate. Biological functions and studies of markers do not establish a clinical benefit for everyone.

06

Riesgos: evitar la acumulación invisible Prolonged excess can cause selenosis, including garlic breath, a metallic taste, digestive symptoms and hair or nail changes. At very high exposure, neurological and serious systemic effects are possible.

Upper limits are not targets. The NIH uses 400 µg per day for adults from all sources; EFSA has set a lower European reference in a recent opinion. Do not turn either ceiling into a goal. Avoid combining several selenium products without checking labels.

07

Una comprobación sencilla antes de comprar 1. List usual food sources and supplements already used. 2. Check elemental selenium per serving; do not confuse micrograms with milligrams. 3. Add selenium from every product. 4. Do not use a supplement to treat a symptom or prevent cancer without diagnosis and medical advice. 5. Stop and seek advice if possible excess symptoms appear.

08

Preguntas frecuentes ### Is selenium supplementation mandatory? No. La necesidad se refiere al aporte total y un suplemento solo es pertinente en una situación identificada.

Can Brazil nuts replace a supplement? Pueden contener mucho selenio, pero su contenido varía y no constituyen una dosis precisa.

Can selenium be taken for the thyroid? Una función biológica no basta para justificar la automedicación. Consulta a un profesional si tienes una enfermedad tiroidea.

09

Fuentes - NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 2024 — https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-Consumer/ - NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 2024 — https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/ - EFSA NDA Panel, 2014 — https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/consultation/140715.pdf - ANSES, 2025 — https://www.anses.fr/fr/content/les-mineraux - EFSA NDA Panel, 2023 — https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/7551 - Klein et al., JAMA, 2011 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21990298/

Fuentes

Estudios revisados por pares y referencias institucionales utilizadas en este artículo.

  1. 1ANSES· 2025
    Probable

    French population

    Ver la fuente
  2. 2NIH Office of Dietary Supplements· 2024
    Establecido

    general population

    Ver la fuente
  3. 3NIH Office of Dietary Supplements· 2024
    Establecido

    adults and clinical contexts

    Ver la fuente
  4. 4EFSA NDA Panel· 2023
    Establecido

    European adults

    Ver la fuente
  5. 5EFSA NDA Panel· 2014
    Probable

    European adults and life stages

    Ver la fuente
  6. 6Klein et al., JAMA· 2011
    Limitado

    men in SELECT trial · 35533 participantes

    Ver la fuente

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Por

Claire Mercier

Registered nutritionist focused on whole-food diets and metabolic health.

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