Nutritional myth: Organic selenium is free of pesticides.

Somewhat busted:

When it comes to the mineral selenium, the term “organic” is defined as selenium that is derived from living matter, such as plant sources or selenium yeast. Research has shown that organic selenium is absorbed and utilized more effectively than its inorganic counterpart. Studies done on selenium yeast show that it is a safer source of selenium because it is less toxic when compared to inorganic sources. Inorganic selenium is a byproduct of the mining industry and will be listed on the label as sodium selenite and sodium selenate. It is also a common and safe source of selenium as long as it isn’t overfed.

Take-home message: Feeding an organic selenium is better for your horse because it will increase utilization of the mineral, and selenium yeast tends to be less toxic, but it isn’t necessarily free of pesticides and other chemicals.

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