People in Galicia, Spain, who eat more seafood have higher levels of selenium—a beneficial nutrient—as well as higher levels of toxic elements like arsenic and mercury in their blood, because seafood contains both.

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Pro

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Community contributions welcome

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Associations between food group intake and serum levels of selenium and other essential and toxic trace elements in adults

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2026 Feb 28

Eating seafood increases both good selenium and bad toxins like mercury and arsenic in the blood — so it’s a double-edged sword: healthy but potentially risky too.

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

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According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Associations between food group intake and serum levels of selenium and other essential and toxic trace elements in adults

Score: 47

DOI: 10.1007/s00394-026-03922-y

Similar Assertions

People in Galicia, Spain, who eat more seafood tend to have higher levels of selenium in their blood, and those with sufficient selenium levels typically eat about four servings of fish per week.

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In healthy adults from Galicia, Spain, the amount of selenium in the blood changes more noticeably with dietary intake than the levels of zinc, copper, or iron, which stay relatively constant due to biological regulation. This makes selenium a more reliable indicator of whether dietary intake is sufficient.

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