Chelation Series, Part 7: How Selenium and ALA Work Together (And Why Most People Do It Wrong)
- Dawn Westrum
- Jan 16
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
This article is part of the Chelation Education Series. For an overview and full list of articles, visit the Chelation page.
Here’s the truth nobody explains cleanly:Selenium and ALA are not doing the same job — they’re running two different departments of the same detox operation.
Once you understand who does what, chelation becomes dramatically safer, smoother, and more predictable.
Let’s break down the roles.
Selenium Is the Shield
Selenium’s job is protection, not extraction.
It neutralizes mercury by binding it into mercury selenide (HgSe) — an inert, stable, non-reactive compound that can sit safely until actual chelation begins.
Selenium does not pull metal out of the body.It takes the teeth out of the mercury that’s already circulating.
This is why selenium makes people feel better long before any real detox happens.
ALA Is the Extraction Team
ALA moves mercury.It goes into cells, crosses the blood–brain barrier, and pulls mercury out of tissues so it can be escorted out of the body.
But ALA has one rule you cannot break:
It must be taken on a strict schedule.
(We cover the dosing rules in Part 9.)
Without that schedule, ALA pulls mercury out… and then drops it somewhere worse.
This is why so many people crash on “random ALA supplements.”
Why Most People Combine Selenium + ALA Incorrectly
People take selenium for two weeks, feel better, add ALA on a whim, and assume the combo is “safe.”Nope.
Most get the order wrong: They jump into extraction (ALA) before the shielding system (selenium + copper + iodine + molybdenum) is ready.
The result? Mobilized mercury with nowhere safe to buffer.
The Proper Sequence: Shield → Then Extract
1. Selenium and Cofactors first
You build the defense system.You stabilize enzymes, thyroid, nerves, and antioxidant pathways.
Copper → needed to recycle selenium; low copper = “selenium makes me nauseous.”
Iodine → works with selenium in thyroid hormone activation.
Molybdenum → prevents sulfur headaches and supports ALA tolerance.
Magnesium → calms the nervous system during mobilization.
2. THEN introduce ALA (on a schedule)
With the shield in place, ALA extraction becomes controlled instead of chaotic.
Why Selenium Makes ALA Rounds Smoother
Every ALA round creates a small amount of “spillover” — mercury getting knocked loose faster than the chelator can bind it.
Selenium neutralizes that spill.
This means:✔ fewer symptoms✔ less irritability✔ smoother sleep✔ less “detox hangover”✔ more stable energy
You don’t need extreme doses — you need balance and readiness.
When to Increase Selenium
Selenium needs typically rise:
after amalgam removal
during the first few ALA rounds
when symptoms flare between rounds
when copper is stable and zinc isn't dominating
As your system mobilizes more mercury, selenium becomes the buffer that keeps extraction safe.
High Selenium Tolerance Tells You One Thing: Copper Is Strong
When clients say,“I can take selenium without any issues,”that tells you their copper status is solid.
When people react poorly to selenium, nine times out of ten: Low copper, not “selenium toxicity.”
This alone could fix half of the confusion in the detox world.
Selenium Is the Shield. ALA Is the Extraction Team.
Use the right tool at the right time, and chelation feels controlled.Use them in the wrong order, and detox feels like a demolition.
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