Selenium plays an important role in a number of body processes, including creating protein compounds found in relation to blood plasma, thyroid hormones and sperm. Your body requires only a small amount of selenium, but if you consume excess selenium you could reach toxic levels. If this occurs, you could experience hair loss which includes loss of eyelashes. Knowing the appropriate intake of selenium will help you talk with your doctor about making necessary dietary or supplement changes.
Other Toxicity Effects
In addition to losing eyelashes and hair from other locations, toxic levels of selenium may also cause fatigue, nerve damage, irritability, gastrointestinal problems and garlic odor on your breathe. You may experience brittle fingernails or white spots on your nails. Ingesting extreme amounts of selenium in a short period of time could lead to death.
Recommended Intake
The average adult requires around 55 micrograms of selenium each day. Supplements and multivitamins often contain selenium, but you may eat a number of foods with this nutrient as well. These food sources include Brazil nuts which contain 544 micrograms in 1 ounce and 3-ounces of crab which has 41 micrograms. Other foods include brown rice, chicken, beef, milk and walnuts.
The upper, safe intake limit for selenium in the average adult is 400 micrograms per day. If you have an intake higher than this amount you have a risk for toxic levels. As such, limit your intake of Brazil nuts since a 1-ounce serving exceeds the upper intake limit.
Other Causes
Conditions other than selenium toxicity may also cause loss of eyelashes. Blepharitis, for example, causes inflammation in the eyelids, particularly in the area around your eyelashes. This bacterial condition may cause crusting, itching and redness along the margin of your eyelids, and, in some cases, you could lose eyelashes. In some cases, this may stem from poor lid hygiene, and gently washing your eyelids and lash area may improve your symptoms. Hair loss may also stem from certain medications and changes in your hormone levels. Diseases such as diabetes may also contribute to hair loss.
Considerations
If you think you consume more selenium than is safe, talk to your doctor. She can test your blood to determine nutrient levels in your blood. Your doctor can also examine your eyelids to check for signs of infection or other causes of lash loss.
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