The Study
Effects of Selenium Administration on Blood Lipids: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Experimental Human Studies.
This study looked at many experiments where people were given selenium pills and then had their blood tested. It found that when people took a lot of selenium, their 'good' cholesterol went down and 'bad' fats went up. But it didn't test this itself—it just added up what other studies found.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
Selenium is a mineral your body needs, but too much can mess up your blood fats.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 545 / 100
Quality score
The highest quality evidence. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that pool randomized controlled trials, giving the most reliable summary of experimental evidence.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this shift in blood fats is known to raise heart disease risk, especially if you're healthy, taking selenium for more than 3 months, or live in Europe with high intake.
- 2At 200+ µg/day, selenium lowers good cholesterol (HDL) and raises bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides.
- 3Above 150 µg/L in blood, same pattern.
- 4Inorganic selenium is worse than organic.
- 5Low intake may help, but high intake harms.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nutrition reviews
Year
2025
Authors
T. Urbano, L. A. Wise, G. Fiore, M. Vinceti, T. Filippini
Related Content
Claims (6)
Adults should not consume more than 400 micrograms of selenium per day, and the body's normal functions benefit from lower amounts of selenium.
Taking selenium supplements at 200 micrograms per day or more lowers HDL and LDL cholesterol while raising triglyceride levels in adults.
Selenium supplements affect blood lipids differently depending on how much selenium a person already has: low levels may improve lipid profiles, while intake above 200 µg per day worsens them.
Selenium supplements are linked to worse lipid changes in healthy people, those taking them for more than three months, and Europeans consuming more than 300 micrograms per day.
When blood selenium levels exceed about 150 µg/L, triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels are higher and HDL cholesterol levels are lower.
Inorganic selenium supplements lead to worse changes in blood fats than organic selenium supplements, and the chemical form of selenium determines how it affects blood lipids.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.