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Is selenium safe for kids and teens?

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

NIH lists 20 mcg of selenium a day for ages 1 to 3 and 55 mcg for teens, with upper limits of 90 mcg at ages 1 to 3 and 400 mcg at 14 to 18. EFSA says selenium supplements for children should be used with caution. Ask your doctor first.1,2,3

Key facts

  • NIH lists 20 mcg a day at ages 1 to 3, 30 mcg at 4 to 8, 40 mcg at 9 to 13 and 55 mcg for teens.1
  • Upper limits are 45 mcg from birth to 6 months, 60 mcg at 7 to 12 months, 90 mcg at 1 to 3, 150 mcg at 4 to 8, 280 mcg at 9 to 13 and 400 mcg at 14 to 18.2
  • EFSA's limits for children and teens run from 70 to 230 mcg a day depending on age, and it says supplements for toddlers and children should be used with caution.2,3
  • A Brazil nut holds 68 to 91 mcg of selenium, close to the 90 mcg upper limit for ages 1 to 3.1,2
  • NIH says selenium deficiency is very rare in the United States and Canada.1

What selenium amounts does NIH list for children and teens?

Children need 20 mcg a day at ages 1 to 3, 30 mcg at 4 to 8 and 40 mcg at 9 to 13.1

Teens aged 14 to 18 are listed at 55 mcg a day, the same as adults. NIH says most people in the United States get enough selenium from food, with fish, meat, eggs, dairy, grains, beans and nuts all contributing, and that deficiency is very rare in the United States and Canada.1

What are the upper limits by age?

NIH sets daily upper limits for all sources together: 45 mcg from birth to 6 months, 60 mcg at 7 to 12 months, 90 mcg at 1 to 3 years, 150 mcg at 4 to 8, 280 mcg at 9 to 13 and 400 mcg at 14 to 18. They are based on the amounts linked with hair and nail brittleness and loss.2

EFSA's 2023 opinion derived limits for children from the adult figure of 255 mcg by scaling for body weight, giving values from 70 to 230 mcg a day depending on age. It says that no risk has been reported from selenium in foods for toddlers and children in Europe, and that supplements for them should be used with caution and based on individual needs.2,3

How much selenium is in a Brazil nut?

NIH says Brazil nuts contain 68 to 91 mcg of selenium per nut. For a child aged 1 to 3, whose upper limit is 90 mcg a day, a single nut is close to the whole limit before counting any other food or supplement.1,2

In 2008, 201 people had severe reactions to a liquid dietary supplement that contained 200 times the amount of selenium on its label.2

What about selenium sulfide shampoo for kids?

The over-the-counter dandruff shampoo label read for this page says to keep it out of reach of children and to call poison control if it is swallowed. It states no age limit. NIH's sheets cover selenium as a nutrient, so the sources checked do not rule on selenium sulfide shampoo for children. Ask your pharmacist or your child's doctor.4

Who should ask a doctor about selenium for a child or teen?

  • Anyone considering a selenium supplement for a child, since EFSA says supplements for children should be used with caution.3
  • Anyone whose child already takes a children's multivitamin or other product that lists selenium.1
  • Anyone whose teen has a thyroid condition or takes thyroid medicine.2
  • Anyone whose child eats Brazil nuts often.1

Ask your doctor, and bring the Supplement Facts panel of every product the child takes.

Questions people ask

Is selenium safe for teens?

NIH lists 55 mcg a day for teens aged 14 to 18 and an upper limit of 400 mcg from all sources. Ask your doctor before a teen takes a selenium supplement, especially with a thyroid condition.1,2

Is selenium good for teens?

NIH says most people in the United States get enough selenium from food and that deficiency is very rare. Ask your doctor whether a teen needs anything beyond food.1

Is selenium safe for kids?

NIH lists upper limits from 90 mcg at ages 1 to 3 to 280 mcg at 9 to 13, and EFSA says supplements for children should be used with caution. Ask your child's doctor first.2,3

Is selenium sulfide safe for kids?

The over-the-counter shampoo label read for this page says to keep it out of reach of children and states no age limit. The sources checked do not rule on its use on children, so ask your pharmacist or doctor.4

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Sources

  1. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Selenium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated June 18, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Selenium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated September 4, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA), Turck D, et al. Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for selenium (opinion built on systematic reviews of the literature). EFSA J. 2023;21(1):e07704. Opened 2026-10-11.
  4. Dandruff (selenium sulfide) shampoo: product label (H-E-B). DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Effective February 24, 2026. Opened 2026-10-11.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.