Supplement researchSourced from PubMed and NIH
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Supplement × Supplement·Evidence index

Selenium and Vitamin E: what the research found

PubMed indexes 8 records that name Selenium and Vitamin E together, either in the title or in an interaction, co-administration, or pharmacokinetic context. The key findings come first, in the authors’ own words, followed by every study with its design and PubMed link.

A summary of published research, not medical advice. A pharmacist can check any combination against your full list of medicines and supplements.

Key findings

What the studies concluded.

Reviews and human studies first. Each quote is the authors’ own conclusion about their study, not a NutriStack assessment, and a single study is not a consensus.

“Furthermore, deficiencies in either Se or vitamin E results in specific viral mutations, changing relatively benign viruses into virulent ones. Thus, host nutritional status should be considered a driving force for the emergence of new viral strains or newly pathogenic strains of known viruses.”

Beck · 2007 · Human study · details

“SELECT is the second large-scale study of chemoprevention for prostate cancer. Enrollment began in 2001 with final results anticipated in 2013.”

Klein et al. · 2003 · Human study · details

“Although this comprehensive report on the dietary reference intakes for vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and the carotenoids did not decisively confirm the role of antioxidants for the prevention of chronic diseases in humans, many research studies have generated new data to support this concept. Additional research is needed to define the attributes of antioxidants as studies progress from in vitro and animal…”

The research

8 studies naming Selenium and Vitamin E.

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

SELECT: the selenium and vitamin E cancer prevention trial.

Urologic oncology · 2003 · PMID 12684129

Comparative StudyReviewHuman subjects

“SELECT is the second large-scale study of chemoprevention for prostate cancer. Enrollment began in 2001 with final results anticipated in 2013.”

Klein et al. · Authors' conclusion

Names both Selenium and Vitamin E in its title.

Selenium vitaminology: The connection between selenium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and ergothioneine.

Current opinion in chemical biology · 2023 · PMID 37236134

ReviewResearch Support, N.I.H., Extramural

“Thioredoxin reductase can reduce oxidized forms of ergothioneine. While the biological significance of this is not yet realized, this discovery underscores the centrality of selenium to all three antioxidants.”

Hondal · From the abstract

Names both Selenium and Vitamin E in its title.

Selenium and vitamin E status: impact on viral pathogenicity.

The Journal of nutrition · 2007 · PMID 17449602

Research Support, N.I.H., ExtramuralReviewHuman subjects

“Furthermore, deficiencies in either Se or vitamin E results in specific viral mutations, changing relatively benign viruses into virulent ones. Thus, host nutritional status should be considered a driving force for the emergence of new viral strains or newly pathogenic strains of known viruses.”

Beck · From the abstract

Names both Selenium and Vitamin E in its title.

The antioxidants--vitamin C,vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids.

Journal of agromedicine · 2003 · PMID 14563626

ReviewHuman subjects

“Although this comprehensive report on the dietary reference intakes for vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and the carotenoids did not decisively confirm the role of antioxidants for the prevention of chronic diseases in humans, many research studies have generated new data to support this concept. Additional research is needed to define the attributes of antioxidants as studies progress from in vitro and animal studies to human nutrition.”

Johnson et al. · From the abstract

Names both Selenium and Vitamin E 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:

How to read this page

A literature summary, not guidance.

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 Selenium, Vitamin E, and several hundred other substances.

Log your routine, get reminders at the times you choose, and scan a label to add a product. The checker is a research and organisation tool, not a clinical decision aid.

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.