Selenium is a mineral your body cannot make, and your hair follicles depend on it. It is also a mineral where the amount matters. Too little is rare. Too much causes hair loss.
On this page
From Anirva, the maker of Hair Radiance. This article is general information, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
- Selenium is an essential mineral. The body builds it into 25 proteins. They have roles in thyroid hormones, in making DNA and in protecting cells from damage [1].
- Hair follicles need these proteins. Mice bred without them in skin cells had abnormal hair follicles and lost their hair [3].
- European regulators accept the link with hair. Labels in Europe may say that selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair [2].
- Too much selenium causes hair loss. Hair loss and brittle nails are the most common signs of long-term excess [1].
- Hair Radiance contains 200 mcg of selenium. With food, the total is under the US upper limit of 400 mcg a day and above the European limit of 255 mcg [1][4][7].
This article explains what selenium does for hair and how the 200 mcg in Hair Radiance compares with the official limits.
Facts at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ingredient and form | Selenium, as L-selenomethionine [7] |
| Amount in Hair Radiance | 200 mcg a day, in 3 capsules [7] |
| Percent of Daily Value | 364% [7] |
| Recommended intake for adults | 55 mcg a day [1] |
| Average intake from food, US | 108 mcg a day [1] |
| Kinds of evidence | Nutrition science; regulator reviews; one mouse study; one large human trial of 200 mcg a day [1][2][3][4][5] |
| Human studies cited here | 1 trial in 35,533 men. It studied cancer, not hair growth |
| Adult upper limit | 400 mcg a day in the US; 255 mcg a day in Europe. Both count food and supplements together [1][4] |
| Last reviewed | [DATE] |
What is selenium?
Selenium is an essential mineral found in many foods [1]. The body builds it into 25 proteins, called selenoproteins. They have critical roles in thyroid hormone metabolism, in making DNA and in protecting cells from oxidative damage [1].
Hair Radiance supplies selenium as L-selenomethionine [7]. The body absorbs up to about 90% of the selenium in this form [1].
How does selenium support hair?
Hair follicles depend on selenium proteins
In a 2010 study, researchers bred mice whose skin cells could not make selenoproteins. The mice developed abnormal hair follicles and lost their hair after birth [3]. The researchers concluded that selenoproteins are essential antioxidants in skin [3].
Regulators accept the link with hair
In Europe, labels may say that selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and normal nails. They may also say that it contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress [2].
Can selenium cause hair loss? Why the amount matters
Yes, in excess. Hair loss and brittle or lost nails are the most common signs of getting too much selenium over a long time [1]. This is why selenium has upper limits, and why hair is at the center of them:
- In the United States, the upper limit for adults is 400 mcg a day. It is based on the amounts linked with hair and nail brittleness and loss [1].
- In Europe, the upper limit for adults was set at 255 mcg a day in 2023. It is based on hair loss as an early sign of excess selenium [4].
Both limits count selenium from food and supplements together [1][4].
Does selenium help hair growth? What the research shows
The research on selenium and hair is still growing. It shows that hair needs selenium. It has not shown that extra selenium grows more hair in people who already get enough.
In a large trial, hair loss was the early sign of too much selenium (2009)
A large trial gave 35,533 men either selenium, vitamin E, both or a placebo for about five and a half years. The selenium was 200 mcg a day, as L-selenomethionine [5]. The trial was designed to study cancer, not hair [5].
Hair loss was reported by 265 of the 8,752 men who took selenium alone, and by 206 of the 8,696 men who took the placebo [5]. That is about 3.0% against 2.4%, a small but significant difference [5].
European regulators later used this trial to set their upper limit. They took 330 mcg a day as the lowest total intake at which hair loss was seen as an adverse effect [4]. They then set the limit lower, at 255 mcg a day [4].
What each source shows
| Source | Type of evidence | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| European Commission [2] | Permitted label wording | Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair |
| Sengupta et al., 2010 [3] | Mouse study | Without selenium proteins in skin cells, mice lost their hair |
| Lippman et al., 2009 [5] | Human trial, 35,533 men | Hair loss in 3.0% with 200 mcg a day, against 2.4% with placebo |
| European Food Safety Authority, 2023 [4] | Regulator review | Upper limit of 255 mcg a day, based on hair loss |
How much selenium is in Hair Radiance compared with needs and limits?
| Source | Selenium a day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hair Radiance (3 capsules) | 200 mcg | 364% of the Daily Value [7] |
| Recommended intake for adults | 55 mcg | [1] |
| Average intake from food, US | 108 mcg | [1] |
| US upper limit | 400 mcg | Food and supplements together [1] |
| European upper limit | 255 mcg | Food and supplements together [4] |
Hair Radiance provides 200 mcg of selenium. With the average 108 mcg from food, the total is about 308 mcg a day, by our calculation.
This total is under the US upper limit of 400 mcg [1]. It is above the European upper limit of 255 mcg [4].
22 ingredients, including 200 mcg of selenium
Hair Radiance is a daily three-capsule supplement that pairs selenium with vitamins, plant extracts and probiotic strains. Every ingredient and amount is listed on the label.
See Hair RadianceWhich foods are high in selenium?
Seafood, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources [1]:
- Brazil nuts, 1 ounce: 544 mcg [1]
- Yellowfin tuna, 3 ounces: 92 mcg [1]
- Sardines, 3 ounces: 45 mcg [1]
- Shrimp, 3 ounces: 42 mcg [1]
- Beef steak, 3 ounces: 37 mcg [1]
Selenium deficiency is very rare in the United States and Canada [1].
Is selenium safe? Safety and interactions
The signs of too much selenium are hair loss, brittle nails, a garlic odor on the breath, a metallic taste, skin rash, nausea, diarrhea and fatigue [1]. If you notice them, stop taking supplements with selenium and talk with your doctor.
In one long trial, people took 200 mcg of selenium a day for about seven years. The rate of type 2 diabetes was higher among people whose selenium levels were high at the start [6].
The cancer medicine cisplatin can lower selenium levels [1].
Selenium is one part of Hair Radiance
Hair Radiance is a daily three-capsule hair growth supplement with 22 ingredients: vitamins, minerals, plant extracts, an amino acid and three probiotic strains. They were chosen to support healthy hair growth, to help promote silky, smooth hair, and to strengthen and maintain healthy hair. Selenium is one of them.
Hair Radiance has not been clinically tested as a finished product. For this reason, we cannot say how its ingredients work together.
Every ingredient and amount is listed on the label [7].
If you are deciding
Here is the case in brief. Selenium is an essential mineral, and hair follicles need the proteins it builds [1][3]. In Europe, labels may say that it contributes to the maintenance of normal hair [2]. Selenium also has an upper limit, and hair loss is an early sign of too much [1][4]. Hair Radiance supplies 200 mcg a day. With food, that is under the US upper limit and above the European one [1][4][7]. The directions are three capsules a day with food [7].
The short version
Selenium is an essential mineral that hair follicles need. Most people in the United States get enough from food. Too much selenium causes hair loss, so the amount matters. Hair Radiance provides 200 mcg a day. With food, that is under the US upper limit and above the European limit.
Frequently asked questions
Can selenium cause hair loss?
Is selenium good for hair?
Does low selenium cause hair loss?
How much selenium do adults need?
Adults need 55 mcg a day. On average, Americans get about 108 mcg a day from food [1].
How much selenium is too much?
What are the signs of too much selenium?
Hair loss, brittle nails, a garlic odor on the breath, a metallic taste, skin rash and nausea [1].
Which foods are high in selenium?
Brazil nuts, tuna, sardines and shrimp [1].
How much selenium is in Hair Radiance?
Each serving of three capsules has 200 mcg of selenium, as L-selenomethionine [7].
References
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated September 4, 2025. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/ (accessed October 7, 2026).
- European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/432 (accessed October 5, 2026).
- Sengupta A, Lichti UF, Carlson BA, Ryscavage AO, Gladyshev VN, Yuspa SH, Hatfield DL. Selenoproteins are essential for proper keratinocyte function and skin development. PLoS One. 2010;5(8):e12249. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0012249. PMID: 20805887.
- EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens. Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for selenium. EFSA Journal. 2023;21(1):e07704. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7704. PMID: 36698500.
- Lippman SM, Klein EA, Goodman PJ, Lucia MS, et al. Effect of selenium and vitamin E on risk of prostate cancer and other cancers. JAMA. 2009;301(1):39. doi:10.1001/jama.2008.864. PMID: 19066370.
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. Micronutrient Information Center: Selenium. Modified February 3, 2026. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/selenium (accessed October 5, 2026).
- Anirva. Hair Radiance Supplement Facts label and product page. https://anirva.com/pages/hair-growth-supplement-with-probiotics (accessed October 7, 2026).
