disorders of nutrition
Selenium Excess
Introduction
Seleniumexcess is rare and is caused by consuming too much of the mineralselenium. (See also Overview of Minerals .) Seleniumoccurs in all tissues.Seleniumworks withvitamin Eas an antioxidant. It helps protect cells against damage by free radicals, which are reactive by-products of normal cell activity.Seleniummay help protect against some cancers.Seleniumis also necessary for the thyroid gland to function normally. Taking more than 900 micrograms of a nonprescriptionseleniumsupplement each day can have harmful effects. Symptoms ofseleniumtoxicity are mainly gastrointestinal upset, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea). Other symptoms include hair loss, abnormal nails, a rash, fatigue, and nerve damage. The breath may smell likegarlic. Thediagnosisofseleniumexcess is based on symptoms. Blood or urinaryseleniumlevels can be measured. Treatmentofseleniumexcess involves reducingseleniumconsumption. 