Question: I have heard that taking selenium and iodine together can increase health benefits as much as 100 percent over taking iodine alone. Is that true?

Dr. Brownstein's Answer:

Selenium is a very important nutrient for the body, especially the thyroid gland. I have written extensively about the need for ensuring adequate selenium status in my book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It. For those with autoimmune thyroid disease, it is important to have your selenium levels checked, and supplement if they are low.

Excessive supplementation with selenium can be problematic, however. If you are supplementing with selenium, it is best to periodically check selenium levels. I have yet to find toxicity with selenium supplementation in the range of 100 to 200 mcg/day.

Good food sources of selenium include nuts, meat, mushrooms, fish, and eggs. Selenium is a cofactor for many different enzymes in the body including glutathione peroxidase.