Hair loss due to selenium can be reversed as telogen effluvium is a temporary hair loss condition. New hair starts to regrow once the selenium levels in the body come back to normal. Selenium consumption has proved to lessen hair loss in chemotherapy patients also.
Findings from a 2023 study in Skin Research and Technology suggest that selenium, when combined with hydrolysed fish-origin collagen, iron, and other nutrients in an oral supplement, help counteract hair loss in people with androgenic alopecia and other similar conditions.
Treatment is by supportive care. There is no known effective antidote. Symptomatic recovery may be quite rapid, occurring within 2 weeks in one case.
At the recommended daily dose of 55 micrograms [2], selenium helps to keep you healthy and may present hair benefits, such as stimulating hair growth, protecting your strands from UV radiation or helping to treat dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis (although more research is needed to verify this).
A lack of essential vitamins like vitamin D, biotin, iron, and zinc can contribute to hair thinning and hair loss. If you're struggling with hair loss, especially if you're experiencing other symptoms of vitamin deficiencies, seeking professional guidance is essential.
Iron Deficiency
Adding foods rich in iron to your diet may help hair to regrow. These include dark, leafy greens, red meat, whole grains, and legumes. Iron supplements, which are used to treat anemia, may also help to stop hair loss.
Biotin (Vitamin B7)
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy hair. It aids in the production of keratin, a protein that forms the structural foundation of hair. Biotin supplementation can lead to improved hair thickness and reduced hair shedding.
Selenium can cause stomach discomfort, headache, and rash. High doses can cause hair loss, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss. Extremely high doses can lead to organ failure and death. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Selenium is possibly safe when used short-term in amounts that are not above 400 mcg daily.
How long does it take for your body to digest/absorb selenium? Some sources indicate that your body can absorb up to 89% of the selenium you consume. Most of this absorption occurs within the first 24 hours after ingestion.
Brazil nuts, seafood, meat, poultry, and organ meats are the richest food sources of selenium. Other sources include cereals and other grains, and dairy products [6]. The amount of selenium in drinking water is not nutritionally significant in most geographic regions [3,13].
Iron and copper also seem to interact with selenium and inhibit uptake of the element. When the body experiences decreased levels of methionine, it compensates by incorporating seleno-methionine into body proteins. This leads to a concomitant decrease in free available selenium within the body.
Biotin (B7) is essential for turning nutrition into energy, enabling every process in your body to work. Selenium has been proven to contribute to the maintenance of healthy hair and nails. Zinc is effective at supporting your immune function but your body can't produce it.
Selenium: Selenium produces antioxidants which protect hair follicles from damage and premature hair greying. Sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts are packed with selenium. Iron: It improves supply of oxygen to the scalp and increases melanin in hair. Munakka, dates, green leafy vegetables are rich sources of iron.
Taking supplements is one of the easiest ways to make sure your hair is getting the micronutrients you need. However, because of the danger of selenium toxicity, make sure you stick to the daily recommended dose of your selenium supplement and never go above the recommended serving of 55 micrograms daily.
It is also possible that foods such as white rice, which are typically refined and depleted of phytochemicals, could be replacing other higher-selenium foods in the diet. Interestingly, intakes of coffee, dairy products, and eggs were each inversely associated with selenium levels.
Excessive amounts of selenium commonly cause gastrointestinal effects (eg, diarrhea and vomiting). Subsequent distribution of excessive amounts of selenium into musculoskeletal tissues has been reported to cause muscle pain and cramps as well as joint pain.
However, in China, higher plasma selenium levels were linked to a higher frequency of NAFLD and higher levels of fasting plasma glucose, post-loading plasma glucose, triglycerides, ALT, and AST. By triggering inflammation and infiltrating the liver, selenium exposure exacerbated liver damage [78].
One study of 11 men found that raising selenium intake increased weight gain. Another study of 24 participants found that consuming selenium-enriched chicken had no impact on weight loss.
Selenium supplementation can improve the long-term outcome of CKD patients with selenium deficiency (36). However, a high intake of selenium may injury kidney (37). Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were both increased when mice were exposed to diet with excess selenium (38).
Over time, hair fibers become thinner and drop out, and unfortunately, they never regenerate. Natural pigment (color) changes occur in hair as you age as well. Pigment cells stop producing as much, and eventually, your once thick, chestnut hair becomes thin, fine and gray.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is a component of two important coenzymes: flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) [22].