Is there an antidote that will reverse an overdose of selenium which
causes thinning hair and brittle nails?
Hi bill12369,
Would you please clarify if the Selenium toxicity is from taking an
excessive quantity of Selenium (Mineral Supplement) and a sudden need
for medical care is evident?
Or has the toxicity taken place over a long period of time and the
selenium poisoning is chronic - selenosis or alkali disease?
Has the poisoning occured from excessive amounts in the soil, or an
industrial accident?
Is it environmental - from the soil, or airborne?
I'm assuming the toxicity is human and not livestock...
Best regards,
tlspiegel
Hair loss and brittle nails from personally taking slightly in excess
of 400 mg of the mineral supplement recommended as prostate protective
over a period of a year or so. Unfortunately, the original warning was
an upper limit of 800 mg, obviously in error.
Hi bill12369,
Thank you for the clarification. I'll be in and out for the next few
hours, and will try to have an answer ASAP. I've compiled most of my
information with some preliminary research.
Best regards,
tlspiegel
Hi bill12369,
Thank you for your interesting question and clarification.
Please note the *Important Disclaimer* at the bottom of this page. I
am not a health care provider and can only provide general
information. Always consult your family physician for in depth
information and specifics about your concerns.
With that said: I'll start with the bottom line:
Basically all you need to do is stop taking the mineral supplement
Selenium and in a matter of time it will leave your body. It won't
hurt to also increase your intake of fluids/water which will help the
process. It is excreted through urine, feces, lungs, and skin
(perspiration). One of the side effects of Selenium is excess
sweating.
If you stop taking it, it will be eliminated in a matter of a weeks to a month.
However, hair and nails will take a bit of time to recover - hair can
take on average 3-6 months (depending on amount of thinning) and nails
can become less brittle probably in even a shorter amount of time.
The disclaimer on that is: Many health conditions can cause
brittle/weak nails and thinning or hair loss, so you'll want to check
with your health care provider on whether an underlying condition is
contributing to these symptoms.
I spoke with: The Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222
All information they were able to provide was related to an acute
overdose. If that were the case the Emergency Room doctors would
admininster activated charcoal. But that's not applicable in your
case.
I spoke with my family physician and also 2 pharmacists and the above
information is what they explained to me. You stop taking it, it will
leave your body in a short amount of time.
Now... you stated you were taking slightly in excess of 400 mg. The
standard dose is not in mg (milligrams) but in mcg (micrograms).
Micrograms is quite a bit less than Milligrams!
Perhaps you meant to type mcg instead of mg?
In either case, I found an article addressing this very issue:
http://www.gordonresearch.com/answers/selenium_dose_alert.html
"Gordon Research Institute
Garry F. Gordon, MD, DO, MD(H), President
708 East Highway 260, Suite C-1F, Payson, AZ 85541
OFFICE: (928) 472-4263 FAX: (928) 474-3819
www.gordonresearch.com
SELENIUM Dose ALERT
TO DR. GORDON:
IN REFERENCE TO YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF 800 MG OF SELENIUM PLEASE BE
ADVISED THAT I HAD LUNCH WITH DR. SCHRAUZER IN 1984 AND WAS TOLD THE
UPPER LIMIT OF PROTEIN BOUND SELENIUM IS ABOUT 2000 MCG, INORGANIC
SELENIUM ABOUT HALF THAT. EXCESS SELENIUM CAN CAUSE NEURO-MUSCULAR
DISEASE IN ANIMALS CALLED "WHITE MUSCLE DISEASE" AND POSSIBLY EVEN
DEATH. I'M HOPING YOU MENT 800 MCG NOT MG. WHEN ASKED WHY HE DIDN'T
READ HEALTH BOOKS MARK TWAIN ANSWERED "BECAUSE THE TYPOS WILL KILL
YOU".
*****
Dear Doctors:
We are sending you this email as A MAJOR ALERT! The dosage that Dr.
Schrauzer and Dr. Gordon recommend for Selenium is in MCG, not MG.!!!
Your editor apologizes for not catching this important typo and is
grateful that you are paying close attention.
Sincerely,
Sandra
Group Moderator"
=================================================
Selenium Dosage Information
http://herbalremedies.com/selenium.html
The standard dosage of a Selenium supplement is up to 200 micrograms
of Selenium per day.
=================================================
1 milligrams = 1 000 micrograms
Weight Conversion
http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/micrograms-to-milligrams.htm
micrograms A unit of mass equal to one-millionth of a gram.
milligrams A unit of mass equal to one-thousandth of a gram.
=================================================
http://www.roystonclinic.com/adjuvantcancerRx.htm
Prostate cancer nutrition and supplements
Selenium dose 400-800mcg/day (note: this is above the Australian RDI)
=================================================
In addition to not taking any more Selenium, another way to reduce
consumption of the mineral is to know what foods contain Selenium.
beef
organ meats
pork
seafood
veal
whole grain bread
whole grain cereal
Found naturally in foods such as Brazil nuts, meat, seafood, and whole grains.
Selenium toxicity, also called selenosis, can cause numbness or
tingling in the fingers or toes, white spots on fingernails and
toenails, or hair loss. In lower doses, selenium may cause dizziness
or fatigue.
*****
At the bottom of this site is a nice chart that lists Table of Food
Sources of Selenium along with how many Micrograms and % of Daily
Value (DV). DVs are reference numbers based on the Recommended
Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Recommended Daily Intake (RDI).
http://www.vitaminproshop.com/selenium.html#risks
=================================================
ATSDR - Agency For Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts92.html
"This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked health questions
about selenium. For more information, you may call the ATSDR
Information Center at 1-888-422-8737. This fact sheet is one in a
series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health
effects. This information is important because this substance may harm
you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the
dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits,
and whether other chemicals are present.
HIGHLIGHTS:
People may be exposed to low levels of selenium daily through food and
water. Selenium is a trace mineral needed in small amounts for good
health, but exposure to much higher levels can result in neurological
effects and brittle hair and deformed nails. Occupational inhalation
exposure to selenium vapors may cause dizziness, fatigue, irritation
of mucous membranes, and respiratory effects. This substance has been
found in at least 508 of the 1,636 National Priorities List sites
identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
What is selenium?
Selenium is a naturally occurring mineral element that is distributed
widely in nature in most rocks and soils. In its pure form, it exists
as metallic gray to black hexagonal crystals, but in nature it is
usually combined with sulfide or with silver, copper, lead, and nickel
minerals. Most processed selenium is used in the electronics industry,
but it is also used: as a nutritional supplement; in the glass
industry; as a component of pigments in plastics, paints, enamels,
inks, and rubber; in the preparation of pharmaceuticals; as a
nutritional feed additive for poultry and livestock; in pesticide
formulations; in rubber production; as an ingredient in antidandruff
shampoos; and as a constituent of fungicides. Radioactive selenium is
used in diagnostic medicine."
[edit]
"How can families reduce the risk of exposure to selenium?
Certain dietary supplements and shampoos contain selenium; these
should be used according to the manufacturer's directions.
Children living near waste sites that contain selenium or coal burning
plants should be encouraged to wash their hands before eating and to
avoid putting their unwashed hands in their mouths
Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to selenium?
Low levels of selenium are normally found in body tissues and urine.
Blood and urine tests for selenium are most useful for people who have
recently been exposed to high levels. Toenail clippings can be used to
determine longer term exposure. These tests are not usually available
at your doctor's office, but your doctor can send the samples to a
laboratory that can perform the tests. None of these tests, however,
can predict whether you will experience any health effects."
=================================================
OVERDOSE - Selenium
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/multitrace_od.htm
Selenium: Chronic toxicity in humans resulting from exposure to
Selenium in industrial environments, intake of foods grown in
seleniferous soils, use of selenium contaminated water, and
application of cosmetics containing selenium has been reported in
literature. Toxicity symptoms include hair loss, weakened nails,
dermatitis, dental defects, gastrointestinal disorders, nervousness,
mental depression, metallic taste, vomiting, and garlic odor of breath
and sweat. Acute poisoning due to ingestion of large amounts of
selenium compounds has resulted in death with histopathological
changes including fulminating peripheral vascular collapse, internal
vascular congestion, diffusely hemorrhagic, congested and edematous
lungs, brick-red color gastric mucosa. The death was preceded by coma.
No effective antidote to selenium poisoning in humans is known. Animal
studies have shown casein and linseed oil in feeds, reduced
glutathione, arsenic, magnesium sulfate, and bromobenzene to afford
limited protection.
=================================================
http://www.drugs.com/MMX/Selenium.html
The best sources of selenium include grains (depending on selenium
content of soil), seafood, liver, and lean red meat.
Side/Adverse Effects - Symptoms of overdose
Dermatitis (itching of skin)
diarrhea
fingernail weakening
garlic odor of breath and sweat
hair loss
irritability
metallic taste
nausea and vomiting
unusual tiredness and weakness
=================================================
Health Effects of Selenium
http://www2.state.id.us/dhw/health/BCEH/environmental_health/attachments_lesson_plans/health_effects_of_selenium.pdf
Humans are normally not exposed to large amounts of selenium in the air. People who
work in metal industries, selenium-recovery processes, painting, and
ore processing may be exposed to airborne selenium.
How can selenium affect my health?
Selenium can be harmful at daily dietary levels 5-10 times higher than the daily
requirement. The seriousness of the effects of excess selenium depends
on how much is eaten and how often. Accidentally swallowing a large
amount of selenium (for
example, a very large quantity of selenium supplement pills) could be
fatal without immediate medical treatment. The exact levels at which
these effects occur are not
known.
If amounts of selenium only somewhat higher than needed were eaten for a year or
more, several health effects could occur. These effects include
brittle hair, deformed or discolored nails, loss of hair, tooth decay
and discoloration, fatigue, liver and spleen damage, and, in extreme
cases, loss of feeling and control in arms and legs. Currently, we do
not know the exact exposure levels at which these effects may occur.
=================================================
Essential Trace Elements and Their Role in Health
http://users.aber.ac.uk/dbb99/essential.htm
Selenium
Selenium (Se) was once widely believed to be a toxic element, but much
has been learned about this element now in regard to human health and
the effects its depletion or enrichment in the environment can cause.
Selenium generally exists in the environment in soils in
concentrations varying between 0.01 to 1.2 parts per million (ppm).
It is found naturally in some rock types such as Black Shales but also
as a result of fertiliser production by humans. Selenium was once
thought to be extremely toxic due to the health problems it caused in
cattle where their hooves cracked and their coats fell out. This was
realised to be an toxic effect of high selenium intake which was
stopping sulphur guided proteins and so leading to hair loss.
Selenium can be found in meats, seafood?s and plants and so it stands
to reason that people whose diets are based on these food stuffs will
have a generally higher intake of selenium. But what are the health
effects of depleted / enriched selenium levels?
Selenium deficiency can cause many problems; it has a key role to play
in the immune system and in the coronary system. A deficiency in
selenium can lead to an illness called Keshan Disease which is an
illness manifested by, symptoms including poor heart function and an
enlargement of the heart itself. Selenium is also linked to the
immune system, acting as an antioxidant, particularly in people with
high cholesterol. Sufferers of arthritis are also seen to have
decreased levels of selenium and so, it is linked to the body?s
defence mechanisms in that way. Selenium has also recently been
reported as being needed in those people that suffer from HIV in order
to maintain a stronger immune system. Selenium is also known to
reduce and help combat the effect of some cancers due to the aid it
gives the immune system.
There is also the problem of selenium toxicity in humans, from an over
indulgence of selenium. This manifests itself as selenosis in humans,
which can lead to a loss of fingernails and hair, due to the same
effect as in cattle, high selenium intake blocks sulphur proteins and
stops their development. Selenosis in humans also causes
gastrointestinal upsets and nerve damage, again associated with
protein replacement.
=================================================
ATSDR - SELENIUM
http://atsdr1.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp92-c2.pdf
RELEVANCE TO PUBLIC HEALTH - BACKGROUND AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES TO
SELENIUM IN THE UNITED STATES
"Since the publication of the previous version of ATSDR?s
Toxicological Profile for Selenium in 1996, several events have
occurred that focused attention on the mineral selenium, its role in
maintaining optimal human health, and any risk it may present to those
exposed to excessive amounts of this metallic chemical element.
Late in the decade of the 90's, selenium was found to have entered the
environment from old mining operations some northwestern U.S.
locations. This resulted in public concern about the potential effects
on livestock grazing in near-by areas, and ultimately the effects on
humans consuming food products from plants and animals raised in those
areas. At the same time, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute
of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences was in the process of
reevaluating the dietary requirements for many of the essential
nutrients, including
selenium. The result of this latter effort was the establishment a new
Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) of 55 ug/day for selenium for both male
and female adults (NAS 2000). This new number represented a decrease
from the previous Recommended Dietary Allowance of 70 ug/day for male;
55 ug/day was already the RDA for females (NRC 1989). The combination
of the increased concern regarding selenium toxicity and the reduction
in the dietary selenium recommendation suggested that a reevaluation
of selenium from a toxicological perspective might also be in order."
[edit]
"Selenium is a naturally occurring mineral element in the earth?s
crust. It is distributed widely in nature and is found in most rocks
and soils at concentrations between 0.1 and 2.0 ppm. However, selenium
is seldom found in its elemental form in the environment, but is
obtained primarily as a byproduct of copper refining. Selenium exists
in several allotropic forms."
[edit]
"Conditions such as pH, oxidation-reduction potential, and the
presence of metal oxides affect the partitioning of the various
compounds of selenium in the environment. In general, elemental
selenium is stable in soils and is found at low levels in water
because of its ability to coprecipitate with sediments.
The soluble selenates are readily taken up by plants and converted to
organic compounds such as selenomethionine, selenocysteine, dimethyl
selenide, and dimethyl diselenide. Selenium is bioaccumulated by
aquatic organisms. Very low levels of selenium are found in ambient
air.
Most processed selenium is used in the electronics industry.
Selenium's semiconductor and photoelectric properties make it useful
in "electric eyes," photographic exposure meters, and rectifiers for
home entertainment equipment, and it is used to coat the metal
cylinders from which a photographic image is
transferred in xerography. Selenium is also used in the glass industry
to counter coloration that results from iron impurities and in the
production of both red and black glasses.
Other uses include: as a component of pigments used in plastics,
paints, enamels, inks, and rubber; as a catalyst in the preparation of
pharmaceuticals, including niacin and cortisone; as a nutritional feed
additive for poultry and livestock;
in pesticide formulations; as an accelerator and vulcanizing agent in
rubber production; as an ingredient in antidandruff shampoos (selenium
sulfide); and as a constituent of fungicides (selenium sulfide).
Radioactive selenium is used in diagnostic medicine and aids in the
visualization of difficult-to-study malignant tumors.
Various estimates of the selenium intake for Americans have ranged
from 0.071 to 0.152 mg selenium/day. The greatest portion of dietary
selenium intake occurs from the ingestion of grains and cereals.
Selenium is excreted in breast milk, and levels vary with maternal
nutritional status."
**Reference to selenium deficiency edited out - N/A**
==================================================
Nutrition Science News - Selenium: Antioxidant & Cancer Quencher
http://exchange.healthwell.com/nutritionsciencenews/NSN_backs/Mar_99/selenium.cfm
Dosages and Sources
How much selenium is optimal? We don't know. Researchers are looking
for a marker of selenium status; after the discovery of SeGPx, the
activity of SeGPx became a new way to measure selenium status.
Selenium could be fed in different forms and different amounts, and
the change of SeGPx activity could be observed in red blood cells. The
correlation between selenium and SeGPx levels in red blood cells is
good up to a certain selenium intake level. At higher levels, SeGPx
activity does not increase at the same rate as the selenium
concentration. So, is optimal selenium intake that which is sufficient
to maximize SeGPx activity? Maybe. It is not known, for instance,
whether SeGPx provides selenium's protective effect in certain
cancers. For now, SeGPx reamins an important indicator of selenium
status.
Among the richest dietary sources of selenium are organ meats and
Brazil nuts. But the most important sources, based on quantities
consumed, are cereal grains, meat and fish. The selenium content of
foods grown in different parts of the world varies greatly. Even the
United States has regions where the wheat grown contains less than 0.3
mg/kg selenium and others where it contains more than 3 mg/kg. Cereal
products in the store, however, are made of grain blends from
different regions; therefore, cereal products eaten in a low-selenium
region may not differ greatly in selenium content from those eaten in
a high-selenium region.
The authors of The Role of Selenium in Nutrition (Academic Press,
1986) took a sample, Western-style menu (a day's meals) and calculated
its selenium content if prepared from foods grown in various
countries. (See chart, page 148.) As can be seen, the selenium
variations between regions in a country and the countries themselves
are tremedous, ranging as low as 13 mcg to as high as 3,945 mcg.
Fifty to 100 mcg selenium per day is thought to be sufficient to
prevent deficiencies. This estimate is based on nutritional intake
observations in areas where there are no signs of nutritional
deficiency. However, selenium may provide protective effects at levels
higher than those necessary to prevent an overt deficiency. The more
accurate range of safe intake is probably 50 to 750 mcg per day.
However, high dosages of selenium can be toxic. This is evident in
instances of commercial overexposure, such as fumes in copper smelting
plants; in people and animals living in the high-selenium regions of
China; and at the Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge in California,
where agricultural drainage contributed to selenium levels in the
waters high-enough to poison ducks and other birds. Typical signs of
selenium toxicity in humans and animals are hair and nail loss,
brittle nails or hooves, and gastrointestinal disturbances. In the
northern Great Plains of the United States, the highest selenium area
of the country, cattle and horses can develop "blind staggers," a
debilitating hoof disease caused by eating high-selenium grains and
selenium-accumulator plants such as locoweed.
In humans, a total intake of 1,000 mcg selenium per day on a regular
basis may lead to toxicity, as reported in one Chinese village.7 That
is by no means a firm number, as individual intakes were calculated
from averages, and the individual with toxicosis may have had an
intake greater than 1,000 mcg per day. However, a 750 mcg/day upper
limit seems prudent. The amounts used in cancer intervention studies
ranged from 50 to 200 mcg selenium (as high-selenium yeast) daily.
Does the form of selenium supplement matter? Different selenium forms
have different degrees of bioavailability. The form used in the Keshan
disease intervention study was a carbonless, inorganic type called
sodium selenite, used in most laboratory animal studies, given as a
500-mcg or 1,000-mcg tablet once a week. The form of selenium most
commonly found in food is selenomethionine - the amino acid methionine
with selenium substituted for the sulfur atom. It is the dominant form
of selenium in high-selenium yeast, which was used in the cancer
intervention studies. Carbon-containing forms of selenium are less
toxic than inorganic forms of the mineral.
Until recently, selenium supplementation for Americans was considered
unnecessary. However, in light of the findings about selenium and U.S.
cancer incidence, that thinking is changing. When the results of the
American selenium and cancer study are confirmed by other studies and
when the mechanism of selenium's protective effect against cancer is
discovered, we will be closer to knowing what the optimal selenium
intake is.
=================================================
Can Selenium Stop Prostate Cancer?
http://www.newhope.com/nutritionsciencenews/NSN_backs/Mar_99/selenium_s1.cfm
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American
men, according to the Washington, D.C.-based National Cancer Institute
(NCI). However, the bulk of these cancers remain latent, and only a
small number progress to cause illness or death. In 1997, NCI
estimated 210,000 new cases were diagnosed and 42,000 men died as a
result of their cancer. A recent study suggests eating foods rich in
the trace mineral selenium - organ meats, seafood and whole grains -
may help men reduce their risk of advanced prostate cancer.
To determine this, researchers from Harvard University studied 33,737
male health professionals, all of whom provided toenail clippings that
were stored for later analysis. Because the selenium content of
toenails is a good indicator of selenium status, the stored material
provided an opportunity to match selenium status before diagnosis with
a later occurrence of prostate cancer. The study began in 1987 as part
of a prostate cancer study in which selenium was not supplemented.
Participants filled out questionnaires during the course of the study,
and all new cases of prostate cancer were recorded. From 1989 through
1994, the group reported 181 new cases of advanced prostate cancer.
Each case was matched with a control subject (one who did not have
prostate cancer) of the same age and smoking status. The toenail
samples of both the cases and controls were analyzed for selenium.
Results showed the mean toenail selenium level was significantly
higher in control subjects than in cancer subjects. When subjects in
the highest 20 percent for selenium status were compared with those in
the lowest 20 percent, those with the highest selenium status were
half as likely to get prostate cancer as those with the lowest levels.
While this study shows an association between low selenium levels and
occurrence of prostate cancer, it does not show that the relationship
is causal. Additional well-planned, controlled studies are needed to
show whether raising selenium levels can protect against this disease.
However, this report adds another strong piece of supportive evidence.
=================================================
A brief history of selenium research: From alkali disease
(from poison to prevention)
http://www.asas.org/Bios/Oldfieldhist.pdf
*****
Diagnosing Selenium Toxicity
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/natres/06109.html
Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for the health of humans and
animals. New claims that Se may reduce liver disease and prevent or
even cure cancer have encouraged some people to look to Se to cure
their ailments.
However, excess Se can be toxic to both humans and animals. Selenium
from the soil is absorbed by plants, and when livestock eat those
plants, Se toxicity may develop. Selenium toxicity was first reported
in farm animals in China in the 13th century, but the first documented
report in the United States occurred during the 1850s in South Dakota.
=================================================
Not applicable but interesting...
On a final note: Selenium toxicity occurs in animals, and The Poison
Control Center informed me that chelation therapy - EDTA (chelation
agent) increased the survival rate in animals, but only if given
within 15 minutes of ingestion.
And, experimental therapies in animals are being tried using ascorbic
acid - vitamin C for animals.
=================================================
keyword search:
selenium overdose
selenium toxicity
selenium safe dose
selenium prostate health
selenium natural occuring mineral
selenium rich foods
selenosis
alkali disease
selenium blind staggers
chronic Se toxicity
Best regards,
tlspiegel Nutrition::
Vegetables and fruits contain beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium. These nutrients are antioxidants, which protect body cells from damage.
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Acne Treatment by inhibiting 5-Alpha Reductase Enzyme::
Vitamin E is also important for proper absorption of vitamin A and works in conjunction with selenium. * Selenium is an antioxidant trace mineral that plays
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Selenium