If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you
should not use selenium supplements without first talking to your healthcare
provider.
Cisplatin, Doxorubicin, and Bleomycin
Selenium may reduce
toxic side effects associated with cisplatin and doxorubicin, two forms of
chemotherapy used to treat cancer. On the other hand, a test tube study
suggested that selenium may inhibit the anti-cancer effects of bleomycin.
Cholesterol-lowering Medications
Researchers recently
discovered an unexpected adverse interaction between antioxidant supplements and
a popular combination of cholesterol-lowering medications known as simvastatin
and niacin -- this interaction may have important implications for patients with
heart disease. Together, simvastatin and niacin have been shown to lower LDL
("bad") cholesterol and raise HDL ("good") cholesterol in people with heart
disease. When taken with antioxidants (including selenium), however, these
medications may not be as effective in raising HDL cholesterol.