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Selenium Dosage in Studies
Many studies have attempted to determine the 'Just Right' selenium dosage, and while there are no clear cut answers as to the exact optimal dose for optimal health, the studies that HAVE been done give us some clues.
200 mcg (micrograms) is the most frequently used dose in studies that obtained beneficial results. Most of these studies were done over relatively short periods of time, but some were done over long periods of time, so it seems that 200 mcg per day is a relatively safe dosage to take for relatively long periods of time.
One study that analyzed many other studies on selenium found that dosages of about 300 mcg per day of selenium began to show ill effects on the thyroid gland as well as hair and nail weakening and loss.
So from this study, we can determine that 300 mcg per day of selenium is likely to be unnecessary and may cause harm over the long term. So, taking between about 100 mcg to 200 mcg seems to be the 'just right' selenium dosage that is beneficial for health, but that does not cause problems in MOST people. Again, this will be dependent upon how much you ALREADY get in your diet, your specific metabolism and other factors that science may not even know about. *