Manganese

Your intake

What each level of manganese does

Approximate dose-response bands. Individual response varies — these are starting points, not prescriptions.

1. Severely lowYOU ARE HERE

   0 mg – 0.76 mg

   Well below target. Risk of deficiency symptoms tied to bone · antioxidant.

2. Insufficient

   0.76 mg – 2.3 mg

   Below the recommended daily target. Long-term adequacy not assured.

3. Adequate

   2.3 mg – 3.45 mg

   Daily target met. Standard nutritional support for bone · antioxidant.

4. Therapeutic

   3.45 mg – 4.6 mg

   Common for specific health goals. Check the evidence for your situation before sustaining this level.

5. High

   4.6 mg – 11 mg

   Approaching the tolerable upper limit. Monitor and consider clinical guidance.

6. Over upper limit

   11 mg – +

   Above the tolerable upper limit. Risk of adverse effects — back off or consult a clinician.

Overview

Trace mineral cofactor for several enzymes including manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD, the mitochondrial antioxidant), arginase, and pyruvate carboxylase. Dietary intake from whole grains, nuts, leafy vegetables, and tea is essentially always adequate; supplementation is rarely warranted.

Functions

• ●Cofactor for Mn-SOD (mitochondrial antioxidant defence)
• ●Cofactor for arginase (urea cycle terminal step)
• ●Cofactor for pyruvate carboxylase (gluconeogenesis)
• ●Required for bone matrix mineralisation
• ●Cofactor for glutamine synthetase (brain ammonia detoxification)

Mechanism

Mn-SOD scavenges superoxide in the mitochondrial matrix — the primary defence against oxidative stress from electron transport chain. Glycosyltransferases that build cartilage and bone matrix require manganese; deficiency in animal models impairs skeletal development.

Benefits

• ●Adequate dietary intake supports antioxidant defence and connective tissue
• ●Therapeutic supplementation is rare; possible role in osteoporosis combined formulas
• ●No persuasive evidence for ergogenic or cognitive benefits in non-deficient adults

Deficiency

Spontaneous human deficiency is essentially undocumented in unrestricted diets. Experimental deficiency causes dermatitis, hair colour changes, and elevated calcium/phosphorus serum.

Excess

Chronic high-dose oral intake or occupational inhalation (welding, mining) causes 'manganism' — a Parkinson-like neurological syndrome. Drinking water can sometimes deliver toxic doses.

Forms

• Manganese sulfate
  Cheap, standard supplement form
• Manganese gluconate / citrate
  Multivitamin standards
• Manganese bisglycinate
  Chelated, well-absorbed

Food sources

• Mussels (cooked) · 3 oz5.8 mg
• Brown rice (cooked) · 1 cup2 mg
• Oats (cooked) · 1 cup1.5 mg
• Pineapple · 1 cup1.5 mg
• Black tea (brewed) · 1 cup0.5 mg
• Spinach (cooked) · 1 cup1.7 mg

Supplement forms

Most multivitamins include 1–2 mg manganese, which is plenty. Standalone manganese supplementation is rarely indicated — chronic high-dose intake risks manganism. Filter well-water if manganese exceeds 0.3 mg/L.

Bioavailability

Only ~3–5% of dietary manganese is absorbed; uptake is downregulated when liver stores are full. Iron deficiency increases manganese absorption (shared DMT1 transporter), which is one mechanism of manganese accumulation in iron-deficient infants.

Longevity relevance

Adequacy supports antioxidant defence; supplementation has no longevity signal. The neurotoxicity from occupational/water excess is the practical concern.

Relationships

References

• NIH ODS — Manganeseguideline
• Linus Pauling Institute — Manganesereview

About Manganese

Bone formation, MnSOD antioxidant, amino acid metabolism.

Role

Bone · antioxidant

Daily target

2.3 mg (DV)

Upper limit

11 mg

Also called

manganese, manganese sulfate, manganese bisglycinate