Extremely high intakes of selenium can cause severe problems, including difficulty breathing, tremors, kidney failure, heart attacks, and heart failure.
How much is too much selenium per day?
Recommended Amounts
UL: The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for selenium for all adults 19+ years of age and pregnant and lactating women is 400 micrograms daily; a UL is the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause harmful effects on health.
What are the signs of selenium toxicity?
Symptoms of selenium toxicity include a garlicky odour in the breath, fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, transverse lines on the nails, alopecia, and peripheral neuropathy. Treatment is by supportive care. There is no known effective antidote.
Does selenium build up in the body?
Selenium can build up in the human body, however, if exposure levels are very high or if exposure occurs over a long time. The amount that builds up in the body depends on the chemical form of the selenium. It builds up mostly in the liver and kidneys but also in the blood, lungs, heart, and testes.
How much selenium is lethal?
Of sodium selenate, the minimum fatal dose was found to be 2.5 mg. per pound of body weight. Smith, Stohlman, and Lillie,^ using rabbits, found that the fatal dose of selenium, in the form of sodium selenite or selenate, when administered orally was 1.5 to 2.0 mg.
Does selenium cause hair loss?
They report that newly forming hair takes up selenium after receiving trace elements from the blood. However, too much selenium can cause brittle hair and hair loss, along with nausea, skin rashes, and nervous system problems. The recommended upper limit for selenium in adults is 400 micrograms (mcg) .
Who should not take selenium?
Avoid long-term use of selenium supplements if you have ever had skin cancer. Surgery: Selenium might increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Stop taking selenium at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Does body get rid of selenium?
Serum and urine selenium concentrations decreased gradually with time, with values returning to normal by weeks 1 to 2 for urine and starting at week 6 for serum.
Is selenium toxicity reversible?
Most of the toxic effects are reversible. Untreated acute/chronic toxicity may be fatal 4.
What foods are high in selenium?
Pork, beef, turkey, chicken, fish, shellfish, and eggs contain high amounts of selenium. Some beans and nuts, especially Brazil nuts, contain selenium.
How do I know if I need selenium?
Muscle weakness
Skeletal muscle disorders that cause weakness, pain, and fatigue have been reported in patients with low selenium levels (Chariot, 2003). But selenium deficiency is also known to affect the heart muscles, as it does in the case of Keshan disease.
What does selenium do for skin?
Selenium is also a mineral and it ensures skin remains firm and protected. Selenium stops free radical damage before premature wrinkles have a chance to form. It also helps to protect cell membranes against UV damage, inflammation and pigmentation.
How long does it take selenium to start working?
For those being treated with levothyroxine, selenium supplementation resulted in significantly lower TPOAb levels after three months, which continued to decrease at six months and 12 months. TgAb levels did not decrease until the 12-month point.
Does selenium cause body odor?
muscle tenderness; flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling); metallic taste, bad breath, strong body odor; or. easy bruising or bleeding.
How do you get rid of selenium?
The good news is that there isn’t much you need to do to “treat” the problem as it will take care of itself. Any extra selenium is typically eliminated from the body within 1-2 days after being consumed, provided your organs are functioning at 100%.
Can selenium cure thyroid?
The literature suggests that selenium supplementation of patients with autoimmune thyroiditis is associated with a reduction in antithyroperoxidase antibody levels, improved thyroid ultrasound features, and improved quality of life.
Can selenium cause weight gain?
In previous studies of rats, selenium supplementation caused significant weight and body fat reduction. However, 2 small interventional studies in humans have reported contradictory results. One study of 11 men found that raising selenium intake increased weight gain.
Does selenium thicken hair?
Selenium is a trace mineral that plays many important roles in the body, including helping with hair growth. For this reason, many hair loss supplements these days include selenium in their ingredients. However, too much selenium can actually contribute to hair loss.
Does selenium change hair color?
Hair discoloration (especially in lighter hair) has been reported ketoconazole, ciclopirox, selenium sulfide, and tar. Selenium sulfide may also cause orange-brown discoloration of the scalp.
What can you not mix with selenium?
Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs (blood thinners) — When combined with these drugs, selenium may increase the risk of bleeding:
- Clopidogrel (Plavix)
- Warfarin (Coumadin)
- Heparin.
- Aspirin.
When is the best time of day to take selenium?
When taking selenium, it does not matter at what time of day selenium is taken. However, if you have problems with your stomach, you should take selenium in combination with a meal.