Selenium: The Good the Bad and the Ugly
A recent FDA investigation should make us rethink the buzz selenium has captured for cancer prevention. Selenium is needed only in very small amounts and normal consumption of food and water is generally all that is needed to support good health. Too much selenium is known to cause symptoms of muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain, hair loss and fatigue among other things.
Selenium gained attention, however, when some animal studies suggested that selenium may decrease the risk of cancer. A randomized trial of selenium and skin cancer showed a mortality reduction in cancers of the lung, colon and prostate. Another review found that selenium reduced the overall risk of cancer in men but not in women. The results are hardly convincing and a Finnish trial did not show an impact on cancer risk. Ongoing studies will provide valuable information about the overall risks and benefits of selenium and I currently don't recommend it routinely to my patients.
This is why a recent FDA announcement April 14, 2008 should make us pay attention. Hazardous levels of selenium were found in popular dietary supplements Total Body Formula and Total Body Mega Formula. The FDA received 43 reports of persons from 9 states who experienced serious adverse reactions using these product including hair loss, cramps, diarrhea and deformed fingernails.
Here is the shocking finding: an investigation revealed that most of the samples contained extremely high levels of selenium often more than 200 times the amount of selenium per serving INDICATED ON THE PRODUCTS LABELS. Obviously the FDA is advising people to discontinue use of those products but I think there are larger lessons here:
1) We should wait for more than 1 positive study before we recommend things routinely,
2) with over- the -counter supplements of any kind they are NOT regulated and we as healthcare professionals never know exactly what you are getting when you take them.
Dr O.
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Thank You. I think so many people want relief now that there not thinking about the long term damage that some meds and over the counter supplements can do
By Maryca June 14, 2008 9:26am
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I wanted to add that just last week the FDA announced they also found DANGEROUSLY high levels of CHROMIUM in those same samples. Ugh.
Dr O.
By DrOrrange May 14, 2008 5:44pm