Drug & supplement interaction

Selenium + Niacin (prescription drug)

Niacin (prescription drug) brand names: Niaspan, Niacor.

Minor Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Minor

Selenium has a minor interaction with Niacin (prescription drug). Selenium might reduce the beneficial effects of niacin on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceA
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Selenium and Niacin (prescription drug)

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Minor

NIACIN

Selenium might reduce the beneficial effects of niacin on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels.
A combination of niacin and simvastatin (Zocor) effectively raises HDL cholesterol levels in patients with coronary disease and low HDL levels. Clinical research shows that taking a combination of antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium) along with niacin and simvastatin (Zocor) attenuates this rise in HDL, specifically the HDL-2 and apolipoprotein A1 fractions, by more than 50% in patients with coronary disease. It is not known whether this adverse effect is due to a single antioxidant such as selenium, or to the combination. It also is not known whether it will occur in other patient populations.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence A

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist for you: one of the big reasons people take prescription niacin is to nudge up their HDL (the "good" cholesterol). In a well-run study, folks taking niacin plus simvastatin saw a nice HDL boost, but when an antioxidant blend that included selenium (along with vitamins C and E and beta-carotene) was added, that HDL rise was cut by more than half. So the concern is that selenium may blunt the benefit you're working for, not cause a dangerous reaction.

That said, we don't know whether selenium alone or the whole antioxidant mix was responsible, and this was seen in one specific group of heart patients. The everyday selenium in food and a basic multivitamin is unlikely to be a problem. Before adding a separate selenium supplement, check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Brown BG, Zhao XQ, Chait A, et al. Simvastatin and niacin, antioxidant vitamins, or the combination for the prevention of coronary disease. N Engl J Med 2001;345:1583-93. DOI
  2. Cheung MC, Zhao XQ, Chait A, et al. Antioxidant supplements block the response of HDL to simvastatin-niacin therapy in patients with coronary artery disease and low HDL. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2001;21:1320-6. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Selenium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Selenium has 288 moderate, 32 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Niacin (prescription drug) one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 288 Minor 32 No known interaction 2,510 (incl. Niacin (prescription drug))
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Selenium

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Selenium. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Selenium or Niacin (prescription drug)

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Selenium or Niacin (prescription drug), not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Niacin (prescription drug)

This page covers Selenium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Niacin (prescription drug) page lists 60 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Ashwagandha (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 43 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Niacin (prescription drug) page

“Prescription niacin (Niaspan, Niacor) is dosed high enough for cholesterol treatment that it can strain the liver all by itself, so this is a list to treat seriously rather than skim. Thirty-eight of the 60 interacting supplements and herbs can add their own liver stress, and alcohol leads that group, with beer and wine accounting for…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Niacin (prescription drug) interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Selenium as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 16,942 real supplement products containing Selenium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Selenium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Niacin (prescription drug) too, on top of Selenium — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Selenium and Niacin (prescription drug) Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Selenium
Top 1%

#14 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Niacin (prescription drug)
Steady interest

#1,892 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Selenium

What is Selenium?

  • Thyroid health support
  • Antioxidant support
  • Immune support
  • General nutrient supplementation
  • Reproductive/fertility support

Selenium is an essential trace mineral your body needs in small amounts for thyroid function, antioxidant defense, and immune health. Most people who eat a varied diet get enough, and supplements are mainly useful for those who are deficient. Because too much selenium can be toxic, stick to recommended amounts and check with your pharmacist or doctor before supplementing.

Read the full Selenium monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Niacin

What Is Niacin Used For?

Brand names: Niaspan, Niacor

Niacin is used alongside diet changes to lower high LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, and to raise HDL (good) cholesterol in adults with primary hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) or mixed dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of several blood fats). It is also used to treat adults with very high triglyceride levels who are at risk of pancreatitis (dangerous inflammation of the pancreas) when diet alone hasn't worked.

Niacin extended-release tablets are additionally indicated to reduce the risk of a repeat nonfatal heart attack in patients who have already had a heart attack and also have high cholesterol. When used together with a bile acid binding resin, niacin extended-release tablets can slow or even reverse the buildup of plaque in the arteries (atherosclerosis) in patients with coronary artery disease and high cholesterol. Niacin is always used as part of a broader treatment plan — not as a standalone solution.

See full Niacin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Selenium

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Selenium — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
288Moderate
32Minor
2,509No known interaction
288 Moderate 32 Minor 2,509 No interaction
Moderate

288 interactions

Showing 60 of 288 moderate interactions — see all 288 on the Selenium page.

Minor

32 interactions

No interaction 2,509 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Selenium against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,509 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Selenium list.

See the full Selenium interactions page
See every supplement checked against Niacin (prescription drug), ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Selenium monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Niacin (prescription drug) supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Niacin (prescription drug), ranked by severity Niacin drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Selenium and Niacin (prescription drug) Together: Common Questions

Can you take Selenium with Niacin (prescription drug)?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Selenium and Niacin (prescription drug) interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Niacin (prescription drug) and Selenium?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.