Many people take supplements in the hopes of preventing future health problems, but some vitamins and minerals that have benefits when obtained naturally through foods can cause problems when taken in pill form. Even high levels of nutrients consumed naturally through foods can sometimes have negative health effects. An example? Iron, which plays an important role in maintaining health red blood cells, can increase the risk of heart disease at high doses. Another example is taking selenium in supplemental doses. Too much selenium can result in a condition known as selenosis characterized by loss of hair, loss of energy, and nerve damage. Now, a new study suggests that high levels of selenium could increase the risk of glaucoma.

What is Selenium?

Selenium is an essential trace element that humans need, but only in small amounts. It’s important as a co-factor in a variety of enzyme mediated reactions in the body. It also functions as an antioxidant which has made it the focus of many studies related to cancer and heart disease prevention. Some studies have shown that taking selenium could be beneficial for cancer prevention; but there’s not enough evidence to support taking selenium supplements for this purpose as of yet. Despite this, selenium is still a popular supplement sold in many health food stores. Good dietary sources include Brazil nuts, tuna, beef, chicken, eggs, turkey, and cod.

The Dangers of Taking Selenium: The Study

In this study, published in the British Journal of Opthamology, researchers found that the risk of open-angle glaucoma rose with increasing plasma levels of selenium. In other words, the higher the levels of selenium in the blood, the greater the risk of glaucoma Although plasma selenium levels were associated with an increased risk of glaucoma, levels of selenium in the aqeous humor of the eye were not.

A New Danger?

This finding is of concern since glaucoma is the second leading cause of irreversible blindness. The increase in intraocular pressure that occurs with this condition slowly robs a person of their vision and the visual loss may not be noticed until the disease has progressed to an advanced stage. Once visual loss has occurred, it usually can’t be restored even with treatment.

The Bottom Line

Taking selenium as a supplement has never been conclusively proven to lower the risk of cancer or heart disease. Since there’s now some preliminary evidence that higher levels of selenium are associated with glaucoma, selenium supplements should be avoided. A well balanced diet should provide adequate quantities of selenium for most people.   

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