Month: March 2012

Risks of Too Little, Too Much Selenium

Taking selenium in pills may correct a deficit. But too much can be risky, a new study suggests. Much of the difference may depend on where people live and what they eat. Selenium levels in soil, and the food grown there, vary from place to place. The new study reviewed recent research on selenium. Low levels in the blood have been linked with a higher risk of death from all causes and from cancer. Selenium deficiency also has been linked with poor immune function and a greater risk of dementia. But too much selenium can be harmful, research suggests. High blood levels have been linked with a greater risk of type 2 diabetes. Other research has linked high selenium with increases in skin rashes, hair loss and skin cancers other than melanoma. The new review of research found that blood levels of selenium vary greatly by region. They tend to be high in North America.

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