Maharashtra hair loss cases: Study reveals toxic wheat behind baldness in Buldhana district

Representative image

The incidents of sudden hair loss in Maharashtra's Buldhana district remained a mystery for weeks, prompting experts and health authorities to initiate an investigation. Selenium - a mineral which naturally appears in water and some food and is also found in the soil - might be the cause, as per a study by Padma Shri Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar.

The cause could be linked to high selenium content in the wheat that the residents of Buldhana have been consuming. "The primary cause of the outbreak was linked to wheat imported from Punjab and Haryana, which is found to have a significantly higher selenium content than the locally produced wheat," he said.

At least 279 people in 18 villages of Buldhana were reported to have 'acute onset alopecia totalis' or abrupt hair loss between December 2024 and January 2025. This prompted officials to initiate an investigation into the problem.

Due to the disease, the affected individuals — many of whom were young ladies and college students — faced numerous societal obstacles. Some people even shaved their scalps to try to escape humiliation because of the social stigma associated with alopecia.

"Following the sample collection, it was discovered that people - mostly young women - exhibited symptoms including fever, headache, tingling and itching of the scalp, and in certain cases, loose movements and vomiting," Dr Bawaskar, MD of Bawaskar Hospital and Research Centre, Raigad told news agency PTI.

According to the doctor, the analysis of wheat from the affected region revealed that it contained 600 times more selenium than the locally grown variety. This high selenium intake is believed to be the cause of the alopecia cases. The probe also found a marked increase in selenium levels in the blood, urine and hair of the affected individuals.

"The blood, urine and hair samples showed a 35-fold, 60-fold and 150-fold increase in selenium content, respectively. This suggests that excessive selenium intake is a direct contributor to the outbreak," Dr Bawaskar said.

"Our team also found that zinc levels were significantly lower in the affected individuals, pointing to a potential imbalance caused by the excess selenium," he said.

Further examination of the wheat indicated 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.

No significant contamination was found in the wheat samples from ration shops of the area, he said.

"The region where the outbreak occurred is known for its salty, alkaline soil and recurrent droughts, which have affected agricultural productivity. Many families rely on government-subsidised wheat from ration shops, which have been poorly regulated for quality," the report released by Dr Bawaskar revealed.