Selenium
What it is and what it does
- Selenium is an essential mineral, found naturally in many foods. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
- Selenium is part of 25 selenoproteins, including thioredoxin reductases, glutathione peroxidases and selenoprotein P. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
- ICMR-NIN lists selenium among the micro minerals. (ICMR-NIN. Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024)
- Selenoproteins have critical roles in thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis and reproduction. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
- The thyroid gland needs selenium to produce hormones and work properly. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Consumers (updated 2025-06-18))
- Selenium is needed for reproduction and to make DNA. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Consumers (updated 2025-06-18))
- ICMR-NIN names selenium, with vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and riboflavin, as an antioxidant nutrient. (ICMR-NIN. Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024)
Why it matters
- On its own, selenium deficiency rarely causes illness. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
- In some low-selenium populations, deficiency may trigger Keshan disease (a heart condition) and Kashin-Beck disease (a type of osteoarthritis). (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
- People following a vegetarian or vegan diet may have lower selenium intakes than others. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
- People whose diet is mostly plant foods grown in local soils low in selenium may not get enough. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Consumers (updated 2025-06-18))
- Too much: long-term high intake causes selenosis, most commonly hair loss and brittle or lost nails. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
General information, not medical advice — for your own needs, ask a doctor or dietitian.
How much is needed
| Who | Amount | What the figure is | Whose figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults | 40 ug/day | AI (adequate intake) | ICMR-NIN 2020 |
| Adults (text) | 40 ug/day | AI (adequate intake) | ICMR-NIN 2020 |
| Adults 19+ years, men and women (US) | 55 ug/day | RDA | US NASEM via NIH ODS (not an Indian value) |
| Pregnancy / breastfeeding (US) | 60 / 70 ug/day | RDA | US NASEM via NIH ODS (not an Indian value) |
| Adults, incl. pregnancy and breastfeeding (US) | 400 ug/day | UL (tolerable upper intake level) | US NASEM via NIH ODS (not an Indian value) |
| Adults, incl. pregnancy and breastfeeding (EU) | 255 ug/day | UL (tolerable upper intake level) | EFSA NDA Panel 2023 (EU, not an Indian value) |
India’s own figure (ICMR-NIN 2020) comes first. Figures from other bodies are shown only where they help, and say whose they are.
Sources: ICMR-NIN Expert Group. Short Report of Nutrient Requirements for Indians: Recommended Dietary Allowances and Estimated Average Requirements - 2020; NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04); EFSA (2025). Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels as derived by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) and the EFSA NDA Panel, Version 11 (August 2025)
In every millet and pseudo-cereal, per 100 g raw
| Grain | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Little millet | 40.41 µg | IFCT A016 |
| Bajra (pearl millet) | 30.4 µg | IFCT A003 |
| Jowar (sorghum) | 26.29 µg | IFCT A005 |
| Rajgira (amaranth) | 21.41 µg | IFCT A002 |
| Ragi (finger millet) | 15.3 µg | IFCT A010 |
| Kodo millet | 14.12 µg | IFCT A017 |
| Kuttu (buckwheat) | 8.3 µg | USDA FDC 170286 |
| Quinoa | 7.81 µg | IFCT A009 |
| Teff | 4.4 µg | USDA FDC 169747 |
| Proso millet | 2.7 µg | USDA FDC 169702 |
Each grain has ONE source, named on its page: IFCT = Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR-NIN) with its food code; USDA FDC; FAO WAFCT 2019; NIN 2007 via ICAR-IIMR. Values exactly as printed, not converted — tables differ in method, so compare within a source. Published values for the grain, not a laboratory test of our packs.
Absorption and food
- Selenium in food is readily absorbed, and absorption is largely not affected by selenium status. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
- Plants take up inorganic selenium from soil and ground water and convert it to organic forms. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
- Cereals and other grains, and dairy products, contain selenium. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))
- Beans, lentils and nuts also contain selenium. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Consumers (updated 2025-06-18))
- The selenium content of plant foods varies from place to place, because the amount and form of selenium in the soil differ. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated 2025-09-04))