NSTK · 01.2026Independent supplement reference
NutriStack
Edition 1.0Updated August 1, 2026

Supplement × Supplement·Evidence index

NAC and Selenium: what the published research says

PubMed indexes 8 records that name NAC and Selenium together, either in the title or in an interaction, co-administration, or pharmacokinetic context. Each one is listed below with its study design and, where the abstract states one, the authors’ own conclusion, quoted and linked. This page reports that literature. It does not tell you whether to combine them.

Read this first

An evidence index, not guidance.

Every statement below is attributed to a named, dated, linked source.

This page lists published research relevant to NAC and Selenium. It deliberately does not state whether the combination is safe, whether it interacts, in which direction, at what dose, or how far apart to take them.

The research

8 studies naming NAC and Selenium.

Strongest relevance first: papers naming both substances in the title, then human trials and systematic reviews.

Effects of Selenium and/or N-Acetyl-Cysteine Supplementation on Nonthyroidal Illness Syndrome in Hemodialysis Patients: A Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial.

Pharmacology · 2022 · PMID 35691282

Randomized Controlled Trial

“This trial showed that Se and/or NAC exert beneficial effects on rT3 levels in HPs. However, long-term clinical trials with a larger sample size using more appropriate biomarkers are recommended to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Se and/or NAC in HPs.”

Shahreki et al. · Authors' conclusion

Names both NAC and Selenium in its title.

N-Acetylcysteine or Sodium Selenite Prevent the p38-Mediated Production of Proinflammatory Cytokines by Microglia during Exposure to Mercury (II).

Toxics · 2022 · PMID 36006112

“Treatment of N9 cells with NAC or sodium selenite-which caused an increase in basal GSH and TrxR levels, respectively, prevented the activation of p38 and the transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This result demonstrates the importance of an adequate nutritional status to minimize the toxicity resulting from Hg exposure in human populations at risk.”

Branco et al. · From the abstract

Names both NAC and Selenium in its title.

N-Acetyl Cysteine, Selenium, and Ascorbic Acid Rescue Diabetic Cardiac Hypertrophy via Mitochondrial-Associated Redox Regulators.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021 · PMID 34885867

Animal study

“This was demonstrated by the amelioration of myocardial stiffness, fibrosis, mitochondrial gene expression, lipid profile, restoration of myocyte size, reduced oxidative stress, and the activation of enzymes associated with antioxidant activities. Altogether, these data indicate that the improvement of mitochondrial dysfunction by protective agents such as N-acetyl cysteine, selenium, and ascorbic acid could rescue diabetes-associated cardiac complications, including DCH.”

Mushtaq et al. · From the abstract

Names both NAC and Selenium in its title.

Limitations

What this evidence cannot tell you.

Search-based evidence indexes have real limits, and it is worth being explicit about them:

NutriStack

Track what you actually take.

NutriStack is a free iPhone app for organising a supplement routine: what you take, when, and what the published record says about it. Its exploratory interaction checker covers NAC, Selenium, and several hundred other substances.

The checker is a research and organisation tool, not a clinical decision aid, and its per-pair assessments are excluded from search until they pass claim-level review.

NutriStack is an informational and organizational tool, not a medical service, and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or medication.