Expert report blames high selenium in wheat over Buldana hair loss cases

Incidents of sudden hair loss in Buldana district in Maharashtra which made national headlines are linked to high selenium content found in wheat from Punjab and Haryana supplied by local ration shops as per a medical experts report PTI reportedSelenium is a mineral found in the soil and naturally appears in water and some foods stuff People require a very small amount of selenium which plays a major role in metabolismThe cases of sudden hair loss or acute onset alopecia totalis were reported in 279 individuals in 18 villages of Maharashtras Buldana between December 2024 and January this year prompting authorities to order an investigation into the matterThe people affected many of whom were college students and young girls faced significant social challenges due to the condition including disrupted educational pursuits and arranged marriages PTI reportedThe social stigma surrounding alopecia led few people to shave their scalps in order to avoid public embarrassmentAs per PIT after reaching the affected areas and collecting samples it was found that individuals primarily young women had symptoms such as headache fever scalp itching tingling and in some cases vomiting and loose motions said Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar MD of Bawaskar Hospital and Research Centre in RaigadThe primary cause of the outbreak was linked to wheat imported from Punjab and Haryana which was found to have a significantly higher selenium content than the locally produced wheat the Padma Shri awardee doctor saidThe medical further added that the condition developed rapidly with total baldness occurring within three to four days of the symptoms onset in these villagesThe probe also found a marked increase in selenium levels in the blood urine and hair of the affected individuals he said PTI reportedThe blood urine and hair samples showed a 35fold 60fold and 150fold increase in selenium content respectively This suggests that excessive selenium intake is a direct contributor to the outbreak Bawaskar saidOur team also found that zinc levels were significantly lower in the affected individuals pointing to a potential imbalance caused by the excess selenium he saidFurther examination of the wheat indicated that the selenium content was not a result of external contamination but was inherent in the grain itself the expert said adding that wheat from Punjab and Haryana is known to have high selenium bioavailability PTI reportedNo significant contamination was found in the wheat samples collected from ration shops in the area he saidThe region where the outbreak occurred is known for its salty alkaline soil and recurrent droughts which have affected agricultural productivity Many families rely on governmentsubsidised wheat from ration shops which have been poorly regulated for quality Bawaskar stated in his report PTI citedThe wheat supplied to the affected villages was sourced from the regions with high selenium content contributing to the health crisis he addedBawaskar also said that the outbreak highlights the need for stronger regulation of food supplies especially in areas where residents depend on governmentprovided rationsMeanwhile after the authorities asked people to stop consumption of seleniumrich wheat as a preventive measure some people reported partial regrowth of hair within 56 weeks PTI reportedWith inputs from PTI