TLDR Excessive selenium from a supplement caused toxicity but patients recovered with care.
In 2008, a case series of nine patients (5 males, 4 females, ages 15-57) revealed selenium toxicity due to a liquid nutritional supplement containing nearly 200 times the reported selenium amount. Symptoms, including alopecia, nail changes, gastrointestinal issues, and memory difficulties, appeared within 1 week of ingestion. The mean cumulative selenium dose was 1.3 grams over 37.5 days. Blood selenium levels ranged from 150 to 732 mcg/L, and urinary levels from 41 to 220 mcg/g Creat. All patients recovered with supportive care, highlighting the potential toxicity of excessive selenium intake.
382 citations
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February 2010 in “Archives of Internal Medicine” A manufacturing error in a dietary supplement caused severe selenium poisoning, affecting many people and highlighting the need for stricter quality control.
71 citations
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29 citations
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Fad diets and supplements from social media can cause skin and hair problems.
26 citations
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27 citations
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30 citations
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