Symptoms of selenium toxicity include nausea; vomiting; nail discoloration, brittleness, and loss; hair loss; fatigue; irritability; and foul breath odor (often described as “garlic breath”). Selenium is found in the environment in soil.
What happens if you have too much selenium in your body?
Extremely high intakes of selenium can cause severe problems, including difficulty breathing, tremors, kidney failure, heart attacks, and heart failure. The daily upper limits for selenium include intakes from all sources—food, beverages, and supplements—and are listed below.
Is selenium toxicity reversible?
Most of the toxic effects are reversible. Untreated acute/chronic toxicity may be fatal 4.
How long does it take for selenium toxicity to go away?
Nausea – Nausea that sticks with you throughout the day may be an indication your selenium level is too high. These minor symptoms should completely fade within 2-3 months once you stop taking selenium.
What part of the body does selenium affect?
Selenium is an essential component of various enzymes and proteins, called selenoproteins, that help to make DNA and protect against cell damage and infections; these proteins are also involved in reproduction and the metabolism of thyroid hormones.
What medications should not be taken 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.
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.
Is 200 mg selenium too much?
Although some studies have used doses of 200 mcg, there is some evidence that this amount could increase your risk for diabetes. DO NOT exceed the upper tolerable limit of 400 mcg. Remember that you may also get some selenium in the foods you eat. Over time, high doses of selenium can be toxic.
How does selenium affect the brain?
Within the brain, selenium protects against oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and inflammation. There is also evidence that this micronutrient supports neurotransmission by maintaining redox balance (Solovyev, 2015).
Can too much selenium make you tired?
Too much selenium can also cause diarrhea and nausea, skin rashes, skin lesions, irritability and fatigue.
How do you check selenium levels?
Diagnosing selenium deficiency can be done with a blood test, which indicated recent selenium intake. Hair or nail samples can also be taken which gives a better indication of long-term selenium status.
How do you get rid 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.
Which fruit has the most selenium?
More Selenium-Rich Fruits
White grapefruit is relatively high in selenium, as compared to other fruits. Half a white grapefruit, which weighs about four ounces, provides 1.7 micrograms of selenium.
What organ is damaged by a selenium deficiency?
The thyroid, part of the endocrine system, is the organ with the highest concentration of selenium per weight of organ tissue. Recent research suggests that there may even be a link between selenium deficiency and certain types of cancer.
Can selenium cause eye problems?
Clinical evidence for a protective role of selenium in the development of cataract, macula degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa or any other ocular disease is not available, likely because suboptimum selenium intake, as it may result from unbalanced diet, does not cause any pathologically relevant selenium deficiency in
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) .
When should you take selenium morning or night?
5. intake of selenium: the best time of day. 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.
Should seniors take selenium?
Selenoproteins are powerful antioxidants that can help protect against damage caused by free radicals that lead to aging and age-related health conditions. At this time, there is no evidence that selenium supplements can slow or prevent aging.
How much selenium per day is safe?
To prevent deficiency, the amount is based on normal daily recommended intakes: Adult and teenage males—40 to 70 micrograms (mcg) per day. Adult and teenage females—45 to 55 mcg per day. Pregnant females—65 mcg per day.
Can selenium cause leg cramps?
[Muscular symptoms common in selenium deficiency. Association with growth pain, restless legs and calf cramps]
Does selenium raise blood pressure?
Higher selenium levels have been associated with diseases such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus. A recent longitudinal study suggests that selenium may have a harmful role in the development of hypertension in the elderly [12].