Buldhana ‘in a single day’ hair loss thriller solved: It was the roti that did it!
The situation developed quickly, with whole baldness occurring inside three to 4 days of symptom onset in these villages, the medical skilled mentioned.
The investigation additionally discovered a marked enhance in selenium ranges within the blood, urine and hair of the affected people, he mentioned.
“The blood, urine and hair samples confirmed a 35-fold, 60-fold and 150-fold enhance in selenium content material, respectively. This means that extreme selenium consumption is a direct contributor to the outbreak,” Bawaskar mentioned.
“Our crew additionally discovered that zinc ranges have been considerably decrease within the affected people, pointing to a possible imbalance brought on by the surplus selenium,” he mentioned.
Additional examination of the wheat indicated the selenium content material was not a results of exterior contamination however was inherent within the grain itself, the skilled mentioned, including that wheat from Punjab and Haryana is understood to have excessive selenium bioavailability.
No vital contamination was discovered within the wheat samples from ration retailers within the space, he mentioned.
“The area the place the outbreak occurred is understood for its salty, alkaline soil and recurrent droughts, which have affected agricultural productiveness. Many households depend on government-subsidised wheat from ration retailers, which have been poorly regulated for high quality,” Bawaskar acknowledged in his report.
“The wheat equipped to the affected villages was sourced from the areas with excessive selenium content material, contributing to the well being disaster,” he added.
Bawaskar mentioned the outbreak highlights the necessity for stronger regulation of meals provides, significantly in areas the place residents depend upon government-provided rations.
In the meantime, after the authorities requested individuals to cease consumption of the selenium-rich wheat as a safety measure, some individuals have reported partial regrowth of hair inside 5-6 weeks.
