Brazil nuts & selenium toxicity

[IVFWarrior123]

Hi everyone! So I am currently 5 and a half weeks pregnant. Been a journey getting to this point through IVF. Whilst going through my FETs, I was a sucker for all the fertility superfoods and super pills. I was told to eat Brazil nuts, and so have diligently been eating 4 every day for the past few months ( not to mention getting selenium in my multivitamin & other food sources). I’ve only just found out about selenium toxicity (genuinely didn’t realise there is such a thing as too much selenium). I’m now really worried that I may have harmed my pregnancy & baby… I’ve calculated that I have been eating well over the max threshold every day for at least 2 months. Has anyone experienced the same worries or have had healthy babies despite a diet very high in selenium? I have contacted the Early Pregnancy Unit & my IVF clinic about this, but both have said there isn’t a lot of info out there on the repercussions of selenium toxicity in early pregnancy… thanks for your help!

you can get your daily recommended dose of selenium in 2 Brazil nuts, which is why I guess that’s they recommend that amount, this link seems to suggest an upper limit of 7 (21g) which you are way under, and you don’t have any of the side effects, so try to relax. Easier said than done with an IVF pregnancy at the best of times!
Congratulations. Wishing you a happy pregnancy.

https://www.nutsforlife.com.au/resource/if-i-eat-too-many-brazil-nuts-will-i-get-too-much-selenium/#:~:text=So%20enjoying%20a%20few%20Brazil,selenium%20(400µg%2Fday).
However, because of gaps in the body of evidence, a safety factor is applied – resulting in an upper limit of 400µg (equivalent to 21g or approximately seven Brazil nuts).
There is limited data about selenium toxicity in humans. But the most common side-effects are brittleness and loss of hair and nails, as well as gastrointestinal disturbance, skin rash, fatigue, irritability and nervous system abnormalities.

Hi @IVFWarrior123 honestly hun don't worry about. At 5 weeks some women don't know they're even pregnant, smoke drink and babies are healthy. Relax and enjoy your pregnancy xx

@IVFWarrior123 don't worry about it*
Sorry typo xx

Thank you very much guys, appreciate your reassurances <3