The observation that selenium can ameliorate petrochemical sensitivity was first made by Stephen Levine, Ph.D., founder of Allergy Research Group (ARG), when he described the reversal of his own illness by taking a selenium-in-kelp preparation. ARG sells a 0.004% solution of the right kind of selenium for this protocol. Observations

• Petrochemically sensitive patients improve with the use of selenium;
• There are three groups of petrochemically sensitive patients:
  • The majority improve slowly over a two-month period. They may not be aware of the slow progress until they realize that they can once again tolerate tobacco smoke and other exposures without devastating results. Their symptoms are first decreased in duration and later decreased in magnitude;
  • Another group experience immediate benefit within the first few days;
  • The third group actually react to the selenium in an apparently unfavorable way. This latter group is most interesting in that they are apparently the most sensitive, the most debilitated, and the group most in need of the selenium but are unable to deal with it.

Procedure

• On Day #1: take one drop in the AM and 2 drops in the PM;
• On Day #2: take 4 drops in the AM and 8 drops in the PM;
• On Day #3: take 15 drops in the AM and PM.

[1/2 of a dropper is about one full squeeze on the dropper bulb, which is about 15 drops, or 3/4cc. One drop contains about 2mcg of selenium. At full dose, one 8oz bottle from ARG should last about 3 months.]

This dose should be sufficient, and later becomes the maintenance dose, i.e., 1/2 dropper full bid (twice a day). For the first two categories mentioned above, there is no problem. These patients tolerate the 1/2 dropper full bid, and they continue to improve. Some patients with arthritis become symptom-free even on low doses. (It is interesting to note that veterinarians have used selenium for arthritis in dogs for years).

With regard to the third, troublesome category, i.e. those patients who are too sensitive to take even one drop, they should do the following:

• Fill up five glass jars, each one containing about an ounce of water that the patient customarily tolerates. Take 1/2 dropper full of the above-mentioned sodium selenium solution and mix it into the first container of water and stir. Then take the dropper, which has now been washed free of any residue of selenium and take 1/2 dropper of the first dilution and empty it into the second glass jar. Mix this solution. Continue the same process until the original 1/2 dropper has been diluted out into the fifth container.
• Start with the most dilute solution and try a three times a day exposure, as follows: 2 drops in the morning; 4 drops in the afternoon; 8 drops in the evening.
• If this is still not tolerated, a smaller number of drops and a slower schedule can be used throughout the day. Very shortly, within 1-3 days, patients find they tolerate the most dilute solution. When this occurs they simply repeat this process with the next higher concentration. They keep doing this until they work themselves up to the most concentrated solution.
• After that try a slow progression of the original 0.004% solution, as described above for the first two categories of patients. Remember, there is no rush and there is no “right” dose. Just keep moving along until some comfortable dose is reached, as judged by tolerance to selenium as well as tolerance to petrochemicals.

The main thing to remember is that it is a slow process and may take two months before the ability to tolerate petrochemicals has improved. A good test is how well tobacco smoke is tolerated and how well one feels in general.

One last tip: some patients who have arthritis even without obvious petrochemical sensitivity do well on small amounts of selenium. Dr. Levine has published a number of interesting articles regarding his theories of how selenium works as an antioxidant.