Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 – A Good Heart Health Combination?

What makes selenium and Coenzyme Q10 a good heart health combination supplement? Here, of course, we are talking about supplementation of individuals who have low selenium and CoQ10 blood levels.

Dr. Jan Alexander, Norwegian selenium researcher
Guest author Dr. Jan Alexander, MD, Ph.D., has been the co-author of the selenium scoping article [Alexander and Olsen 2023] for the 2023 Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and several KiSel-10 sub-studies.
How much selenium is enough? How much Coenzyme Q10 is enough? Roughly estimated, individuals with serum selenium levels below 80 mcg/L may need more selenium than they are getting in their diets. The same estimate applies to individuals with plasma CoQ10 levels below 0.8 mg/L. The goal of the selenium supplementation is to raise the circulating selenium levels to approximately 110-125 mcg/L [Alexander and Olsen 2023, Larsen 2024]. The purpose of the CoQ10 supplementation is to raise the circulating CoQ10 levels to about 2.5 mg/L [Langsjoen 2014]. read more

Selenium and Selenoproteins and Health

A 2025 review summarizes the biological activities and health functions of important selenoproteins. The selenoproteins play a role in antioxidant and anti-inflammation defense, cancer prevention, cardiovascular health, fertility, immune system regulation, and defense against viral infections including COVID-19 [Shahidin 2025].

Greenland
Traditional food on Greenland was rich in selenium. Historically, the Inuit people had high selenium intake and high serum selenium levels. Selenium is an essential micronutrient that contributes to good health and longevity.

Selenium deficiency leads to insufficient synthesis of the selenoproteins. Generally, selenium researchers regard serum selenium concentrations under 70 mcg/L as deficiency levels. Serum selenium concentrations below 45 mcg/L indicate severe selenium deficiency [Winther 2020; Schomburg 2021].

The point is that selenium deficiency and insufficient selenoprotein synthesis can impair antioxidant and anti-inflammation defense, weaken immune function, and disturb thyroid hormone metabolism. Likewise, selenium deficiency can contribute to neurological and endocrine disorders. Selenium deficiency can have a detrimental effect on cardiovascular health. Selenium deficiency is associated with increased incidence of Keshan disease and Kashin–Beck disease [Shahidin 2025]. read more