Selenium and Hair: What the Research Shows
Selenium is a trace mineral that people link to hair health, but both too little and too much have been connected to hair problems, and the studies disagree on direction. Serum selenium was lower in alopecia areata in a meta-analysis, but higher in chronic telogen effluvium in a case-control study. Toxicity from a supplement has also been reported.
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Key Takeaways
- A meta-analysis of 10 studies (764 people) found patients with alopecia areata had lower serum zinc and selenium than healthy controls.
- A case-control study of 90 women with chronic telogen effluvium and 90 controls found selenium levels were higher in the patients, and that nutritional deficiencies were not as common as thought.
- A published case report describes selenosis caused by a nutritional supplement.
- Selenium supplements should be guided by a doctor and a test, not guesswork.
What Is Selenium?
Selenium is a trace mineral found in food and supplements, needed in small amounts.
Does Selenium Help Hair?
The research doesn't show that extra selenium grows hair. Associations with low levels exist in alopecia areata, but they don't show supplements help.
Using Selenium Sensibly
- Don't self-supplement at high doses. A case report describes toxicity from a supplement.
- Ask your doctor to check for a cause of hair loss before taking supplements.
- Tell your doctor about every supplement you take.
What The Research Shows
Alopecia Areata
A meta-analysis searched for articles on serum zinc, copper, iron or ferritin, selenium or magnesium in alopecia areata and found ten eligible articles with 764 subjects. Patients had lower serum zinc and selenium than healthy controls, with no significant difference in copper, iron, ferritin or magnesium. The authors said low zinc and selenium seem to be important risk factors for alopecia areata (Jin et al., 2017). It is an association, not proof of cause.
Chronic Telogen Effluvium
In a case-control study, 90 women with chronic telogen effluvium and 90 controls had vitamin and mineral levels compared. Zinc was significantly lower in patients, while selenium was significantly higher. There was no difference in hemoglobin, ferritin, vitamin B12, thyroid tests, vitamin D, copper or biotin. The authors concluded that nutritional deficiencies are not as common as thought in telogen effluvium and other causes should be investigated (Durusu Turkoglu et al., 2024).
Too Much Selenium
A case report in the Annals of Internal Medicine describes selenium toxicity (selenosis) caused by a nutritional supplement (Sutter et al., 2008). PubMed doesn't include an abstract for it, so we can only report its title and that it describes a single case.
Iron is another nutrient with mixed findings; see iron deficiency and hair loss.
Zinc is another trace mineral studied in hair loss; see zinc and hair loss.
See also: L-Lysine for Hair: What the Research Shows
To see how this fits with the other nutrients hair needs, read our guide to the best vitamins for hair growth.
Selenium is one of the ingredients in FullyVital's Hair Revival Supplements. For how the evidence for each ingredient in the line stacks up, see our evidence-tier breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does selenium deficiency cause hair loss?
A meta-analysis found lower selenium in alopecia areata, but a study in telogen effluvium found higher selenium in patients. The evidence points both ways.
Should I take selenium for hair loss?
Ask your doctor. The research doesn't show supplements help, and toxicity has been reported.
Can too much selenium be harmful?
A case report describes selenosis from a supplement.
References
- Jin W, Zheng H, Shan B, et al. Changes of serum trace elements level in patients with alopecia areata: A meta-analysis. J Dermatol. 2017. PubMed
- Durusu Turkoglu IN, Turkoglu AK, Soylu S, et al. A comprehensive investigation of biochemical status in patients with telogen effluvium: Analysis of Hb, ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D, thyroid function tests, zinc, copper, biotin, and selenium levels. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2024. PubMed
- Sutter ME, Thomas JD, Brown J, et al. Selenium toxicity: a case of selenosis caused by a nutritional supplement. Ann Intern Med. 2008. PubMed
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