Approximate dose-response bands. Individual response varies — these are starting points, not prescriptions.
Well below target. Risk of deficiency symptoms tied to bone · antioxidant.
Below the recommended daily target. Long-term adequacy not assured.
Daily target met. Standard nutritional support for bone · antioxidant.
Common for specific health goals. Check the evidence for your situation before sustaining this level.
Approaching the tolerable upper limit. Monitor and consider clinical guidance.
Above the tolerable upper limit. Risk of adverse effects — back off or consult a clinician.
You're at 0% of your manganese target. The biggest single-serving sources to top it off:
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.
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.
Spontaneous human deficiency is essentially undocumented in unrestricted diets. Experimental deficiency causes dermatitis, hair colour changes, and elevated calcium/phosphorus serum.
Chronic high-dose oral intake or occupational inhalation (welding, mining) causes 'manganism' — a Parkinson-like neurological syndrome. Drinking water can sometimes deliver toxic doses.
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.
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.
Adequacy supports antioxidant defence; supplementation has no longevity signal. The neurotoxicity from occupational/water excess is the practical concern.
Bone formation, MnSOD antioxidant, amino acid metabolism.
The mechanisms and systems this nutrient feeds. Click any to drill into what runs on it.
Whole foods that contribute meaningfully (≥10% DV per 100 g serving). Click any food to see its full nutrient profile and what else it brings to the table.
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