Whether because you’re currently experiencing hair loss or because you want to have the healthiest hair possible, it’s very natural to start doing research on hair growth and the potential ways to improve hair growth. As you start looking around, one of the supplements you may discover recommended is selenium.
Many people have never heard of selenium, and you may not know whether selenium is a good option to help with your thinning hair or hair loss. Should you add selenium to your routine? Is it useless? How do you take it? Come with us to learn more about selenium and its impact on hair health.
What is selenium?
Selenium is a unique micronutrient, which means that it’s a mineral that your body does need, but only in quite small amounts. The recommended daily amount for adults is 55μg, or micrograms, which is one one-thousandth of a milligram. Selenium works with selenoproteins, which help to create DNA and protect you against issues like cell damage and infections. Selenium can also have an impact on testosterone production, which means it can also be connected especially to male pattern baldness.
What is selenium deficiency, and how do I know if I have it?
You only need a very small amount of selenium in your diet, with the recommended daily amount being 55μg. However, the amount of selenium in foods varies significantly, as it has to do with the selenium levels in soil and plant sources. That means selenium deficiency tends to be regional, and in the United States, it’s fairly rare, but it’s more common in people who have a digestive disorder or HIV. If you’re experiencing selenium deficiency, you may have these symptoms:
- Muscle weakness
- Fatigue
- Mental fog
- Infertility
- Weakened immune system
- General hair loss
Notably, while selenium deficiency can result in issues with hair growth, selenium toxicity, which happens when you take in too much selenium, can also result in hair loss. The recommended daily dose is 55μg, and you should avoid going too far over this mark; a dose of 400μg or more daily is known to cause selenium toxicity, which can cause digestive, neurological, and cardiac symptoms, on top of hair loss.
Does selenium help with hair growth?
Selenium deficiency can cause hair loss, which means that supplementing for selenium deficiency can help reduce hair loss associated with this concern. While selenium deficiency is thought to be somewhat uncommon in the United States, it may be more common in certain populations, so selenium supplementation could be helpful in reducing hair loss.
One 2000 study indicated that selenium deficiency in rats resulted in sparse hair growth, potentially indicating that selenium deficiency could result in hair growth concerns. In another study, selenium was given to women receiving chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, finding that oxidative stress was reduced with selenium supplementation. Remember that, while supplementing selenium deficiency is generally considered helpful for hair loss, very high doses of selenium can have the opposite effect. Be careful to keep your selenium intake under control, and talk to a doctor if you’re concerned.
What foods can I eat that are high in selenium to support hair health?
It can be very difficult to determine which foods are high in selenium; after all, the selenium in the soil has a decided impact on the selenium content of a specific food. However, the good news is that there are a number of foods that tend to be consistently high in selenium.
- Brazil nuts (These nuts are so rich in selenium that you should only eat them a few times a week to avoid selenium toxicity)
- Yellowfish tuna
- Whole grains, especially those enriched
- Brown rice
- Lean pork
- Beef steak
- Cottage cheese
- Eggs
- Mushrooms
If you would rather add selenium to your diet through a supplement rather than trying to add it through diet, you may want to consider the HAIRLOVE Growth Complex instead. The HAIRLOVE Growth Complex has 55μg per two capsules, which is the recommended daily amount of selenium for your diet, while still being well below the toxicity limit. Plus, it also offers a number of other hair growth and hair strength supplements.
Tips for growing healthier hair
One important tip to consider when trying to grow healthy hair is not to supplement with just a single nutrient. While selenium can be very helpful, especially for those who are deficient, there are many other beneficial hair growth options. That includes vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin B5, for example.
It can also be important to simply treat your hair better. The more love you give your hair, the better you’ll probably feel about it, and the healthier it’ll grow. Consider indulging in luxury for your hair with the addition of a silk beauty pillowcase to protect facial skin and nighttime hair, a luxury hair towel to dry your hair more quickly and minimize breakage, or specialty silk scrunchies to reduce friction on hair and maintain moisture.
Get the supplements that are best for your hair growth journey
If you’re looking for the best way to add hair growth supplements into your life, the HAIRLOVE Growth Complex is a great option. The HAIRLOVE Growth Complex has vitamin C, vitamin E, biotin, vitamin B5, zinc, selenium, Cynatine HNS, and Bioperine, all of which can help your hair become healthier, thicker, and more beautiful. Plus, all you have to do is take two capsules a day with a glass of water, making it much easier than trying to take dozens of supplements every morning.
Overall, while it’s important to be careful of selenium toxicity, selenium can be an extremely important supplement for hair growth. Add it to your routine in moderation to maintain healthy hair.