Sodium selenite and selenized yeast metabolism in people
What it found
In nine healthy people, taking sodium selenite raised blood selenium levels more than taking selenized yeast.
How the body handled each form differed between people who make a lot of one selenium byproduct and those who do not.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood selenium rise
After sodium selenite, blood plasma selenium rose from about 84.5 µg Se/L to about 97.4 µg Se/L at 2 to 3 hours. After selenized yeast, it rose only from about 89.5 to about 92.1 µg Se/L.
Urine selenium output
Sodium selenite led to about 16.9 µg more selenium in urine over 24 hours. Selenized yeast led to about 11.8 µg more. People who were not TMSe eliminators excreted more after selenite (about 20.0 µg) than TMSe eliminators (about 10.8 µg).
Main urine metabolite
A selenium-containing sugar called SeSug1 was the main metabolite in all urine samples. In TMSe eliminators, TMSe was another main metabolite.
Selenate formed
After sodium selenite, a small amount of the dose (about 0.5%) was turned into selenate and quickly left the body in urine.
Unidentified selenium
Except for selenite in TMSe eliminators, comparing total selenium with the sum of known selenium species showed that a large share of selenium in urine was in forms the scientists could not identify.
What the authors conclude
“The study indicated a different metabolism of inorganic and organic Se compounds in human, but also crucial differences of Se metabolism in TMSe eliminators and non-TMSe eliminators.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that inorganic and organic selenium compounds are metabolized differently in humans.
- They also conclude that there are crucial differences in selenium metabolism between TMSe eliminators and non-TMSe eliminators.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see how a person's trimethylselenium ion (TMSe) status affects how the body processes and clears sodium selenite and selenized yeast.
Nine healthy volunteers took 200 µg selenium as sodium selenite by mouth, and seven took 100 µg selenium as selenized yeast. In each group, three people were TMSe eliminators. Blood was taken before and up to 6 hours after, and urine was collected before and for 24 hours after.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This was a small study with only nine people taking selenite and seven taking yeast, so the results may not apply to everyone.
- The study lasted only up to 24 hours after a single dose, so it cannot show what happens with longer-term use.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
The paper
- Title
- Human metabolism and renal excretion of selenium compounds after oral ingestion of sodium selenite and selenized yeast dependent on the trimethylselenium ion (TMSe) status
- Type
- Clinical trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Jäger T, Drexler H, Göen T (2016). Human metabolism and renal excretion of selenium compounds after oral ingestion of sodium selenite and selenized yeast dependent on the trimethylselenium ion (TMSe) status. Archives of toxicology. doi:10.1007/s00204-015-1548-zPubMed 26082308DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error