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Sodium selenite

What the research shows

No concerns

none of the findings here link it to harm

A form of selenium used in vitamin and mineral products.

Selenium is an essential element, so it is added to dietary supplements.12

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

What research says

Studies in people

  • Benefit

    Heart and blood vessel health3

    In people with hardened arteries, sodium selenite lowered some inflammation markers and raised antioxidant levels, but scientists say more research is needed.

Animal and lab studies only

  • Benefit

    Immune cell DNA damage6

    In rats with liver cancer, sodium selenite supplements cut DNA damage in their white blood cells.

How it’s made and used

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

Products

The 6 most-scanned of 1,275 products on Open Food Facts that list sodium selenite.

  • Croissance réduit en sucre Jaouda · 500 ml 1 additive
  • Vanilla Protein Shake Premier Protein · 11 ounces 7 additives
  • CHOCOLATE Premier Protein Shake premier protein · 11 fl oz (325 ml) 7 additives
  • Vanilla Premier Protein Shake premier protein · 11fl oz 7 additives
  • Chocolate Protein Shake premier protein · 11 FL OZ (325 mL) 7 additives
  • Protein Powder Drink Mix Isopure · 30.5 g 3 additives

References

  1. 1Sodium selenite: ingredient taxonomy entry. Open Food Facts.
  2. 2Sodium selenite. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026. CC BY-SA 4.0.
  3. 3Roshanravan N, Koche Ghazi MK, Ghaffari S, et al. Sodium selenite and Se-enriched yeast supplementation in atherosclerotic patients: Effects on the expression of pyroptosis-related genes and oxidative stress status. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2022;32(6):1528-1537. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2022.02.014
  4. 4Jäger T, Drexler H, Göen T. Human metabolism and renal excretion of selenium compounds after oral ingestion of sodium selenite and selenized yeast dependent on the trimethylselenium ion (TMSe) status. Arch Toxicol. 2016;90(5):1069-80. doi:10.1007/s00204-015-1548-z
  5. 5Robinson MF, Thomson CD, Huemmer PK. Effect of a megadose of ascorbic acid, a meal and orange juice on the absorption of selenium as sodium selenite. N Z Med J. 1985;98(784):627-9.
  6. 6Thirunavukkarasu C, Sakthisekaran D. Sodium selenite, dietary micronutrient, prevents the lymphocyte DNA damage induced by N-nitrosodiethylamine and phenobarbital promoted experimental hepatocarcinogenesis. J Cell Biochem. 2003;88(3):578-88. doi:10.1002/jcb.10362