Volume 186 - Issue 9
Accidental death from acute selenium poisoning
Author: Conor S Reilly
Med J Aust 2007; 186 (9): 487-488. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2007.tb01015.x
Published online: 7 May 2007
Published online: 7 May 2007
To the Editor: The report by See and colleagues on an accidental death from acute selenium poisoning1 draws attention to a misconception among some health-conscious consumers that, because selenium is obtainable without a prescription, it is safe to take in high doses.
Selenium is available over the counter in tablets containing as much as 200 μg. The only advice printed on packs is not to exceed the recommended daily intake, which is not specified (the current Australian values are 70 μg and 60 μg per day for men and women, respectively). There is no mention of the upper limit of 400 μg, beyond which there is risk of toxicity.
Selenium supplements are consumed by many people worldwide. Up to 9% of adults in the United States use these supplements.2 Consumption is much the same elsewhere in the Western world. They are used by many in the belief that their dietary intake of selenium is inadequate, and that the supplement will protect them against a variety of illnesses.
Consumers get information from several sources, not least the general media and the Internet. These sources can seriously mislead, especially when they misinterpret the results of clinical trials and make exaggerated claims of health benefits. Those who rely on such popular, but simplistic, information can reach false and sometimes dangerous conclusions.
Health advisors who become aware that patients are self-medicating with selenium need to point out the dangers. Unfortunately, after years of teaching students of medicine and other health-related fields about trace elements, I know that many graduates do not have enough knowledge in this area to provide accurate guidance. Even if they want to learn more by consulting current literature, the sheer volume of articles can deter them. It is for this reason that I wrote the book Selenium in food and health3 — to provide an up-to-date, scientifically based review of the nature and role of selenium in human health and metabolism. I hope that the book’s readable and user-friendly style will make it easy for overburdened professionals to learn enough about this element to help prevent the sort of tragedy described by See and colleagues.
References
- See KA, Lavercombe PS, Dillon J, Ginsberg R. Accidental death from acute selenium poisoning. Med J Aust 2006; 185: 388-389.
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary reference intakes for vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2000: 310-311. http://www.nap.edu/books/0309069351/html/310.html (accessed Aug 2006).
- Reilly C. Selenium in food and health. 2nd ed. New York: Springer, 2006. 0_i1091790