Selenium is a trace mineral, which means you only need a small amount in your diet. If you consume too much, you could develop a toxicity, which could lead to nerve damage. To avoid this, you need to understand what foods contain selenium and how much you should consume each day.
RDA
The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, is the minimum amount that your body needs each day from the foods that you eat. If you do not consume this amount consistently, you could develop deficiency symptoms, which can impact your health. A selenium deficiency is rare, but it can lead to gastrointestinal disturbances, muscular weakness, muscle wasting and cardiomyopathy. The RDA for selenium is 55 mcg for adult males and females each day.
Upper Limit and Side Effects
Although you want to avoid a deficiency, you also want to avoid a toxicity. The tolerable upper intake or maximum daily dose is 400 mcg each day. If you consume more than this amount for an extended period of time, you could develop a condition called selenosis. This results in symptoms of hair loss, nail problems, nausea, irritability and fatigue and can damage your nervous system.
Food Sources
Selenium is found in a variety of foods, including vegetables, fish, shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken, liver and garlic. According to Oregon State University, the average American diet provides about 100 mcg of selenium each day. This is more than the RDA but not enough to cause toxicity symptoms. If you consume a balanced diet, you do not need to supplement with selenium. If you choose to take a multivitamin, look for one that does not contain added selenium to avoid consuming too much.
Considerations
Selenium is important for several body functions, and it may have some health benefits. For example, selenium helps your body make enzymes, which support many of the chemical reactions that take place in your body. It is also thought to prevent heart disease and some forms of cancer, and it protects your body from damage caused by poisons. Selenium may even play a role in boosting fertility, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information's PubMed Health website. Even though these potential health benefits exist, you should not consume more than the tolerable upper intake of selenium.
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