Stomach problems and hair loss due to too much selenium

Additional gift of selenium controversial

02/13/2013

Dietary supplements are enjoying increasing popularity. The German Society of Endocrinology (DGE) points out in a recent statement that the excessive consumption of selenium has a toxic effect. In addition, healthy people do not need extra supplementation through supplementation when the food intake is varied.

If healthy people consume selenium supplements in excess, severe discomfort can occur. Too much selenium can cause poisoning, as explained by Prof. Helmut Schatz of the DGE. Affected suffer mostly from abdominal pain, gastrointestinal discomfort, hair loss and nail changes. Also according to the physician symptoms such as irritability, fatigue or nerve irritation are possible. Schatz warns that the artificial supply of selenium also increases the risk of metabolic disorder diabetes type II. When people are healthy, they usually consume selenium in sufficient quantities through everyday foods such as fish, meat, milk, seafood or cereal products such as bread.

Only in consultation with the doctor
Only in consultation with the doctor, an additional dose is recommended. There is evidence that selenium deficiency can lead to miscarriage, male infertility, mood disorders, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and inflammatory joint disease. These are only hints and not verifiable facts. Nor can it be said that additional intake of selenium could prevent described diseases. In the professional world is also controversial, whether the administration of selenium in autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland is really necessary.

A study by the international research association Cochrane had found in a meta-analysis that taking selenium for prevention can not prevent cardiovascular disease. In addition, no improvements in the symptoms of already diseased cardiac patients could be identified. For the research, the data from more than 20,000 patients from 12 large-scale studies were evaluated. „There were no statistically significant effects of selenium supplementation on mortality“, the researchers summarized. (Sb)

Image: Tomihahndorf, Wikipedia