Selenium Drug Interactions

When certain medications, such as aspirin or statin cholesterol medications, are taken with selenium, drug interactions may occur. Some of these interactions could reduce the effectiveness of the medicines or increase your risk for developing side effects. To avoid these complications, talk to your healthcare provider about potential selenium drug interactions that may apply to you.

 

An Introduction to Selenium Drug Interactions

Even though it is a dietary supplement, not a "drug,", selenium can potentially interact with some medicines. Some of the medicines that may lead to selenium drug interactions include:
 
  • Anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications ("blood thinners"), such as:
 
    • Aspirin (Bayer® and others)
    • Clopidogrel (Plavix®)
    • Heparin or heparin-like products, such as:
 
      • Dalteparin (Fragmin®)
      • Enoxaparin (Lovenox®)
      • Tinzaparin (Innohep®)
 
    • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as:
 
 
    • Warfarin (Coumadin®, Jantoven®)
 
  • Barbiturates, such as:
 
    • Amobarbital (Amytal®)
    • Butalbital (Fioricet®, Fiorinal®)
    • Pentobarbital (Nembutal®)
    • Phenobarbital (Luminal®)
    • Primidone (Mysoline®)
    • Secobarbital (Seconal®)
 
 
 
(Selenium Drug Interactions Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;