manganese

What can high-manganese foods do for you?

• Help your body utilize several key nutrients such as biotin, thiamin, ascorbic acid, and choline
• Keep your bones strong and healthy
• Help your body synthesize fatty acids and cholestorol
• Maintain normal blood sugar levels
• Promote optimal function of your thyroid gland
• Maintain the health of your nerves
• Protect your cells from free-radical damage

What events can indicate a need for more high-manganese foods?

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Poor glucose tolerance (high blood sugar levels)
• Skin rash
• Loss of hair color
• Excessive bone loss
• Low cholesterol levels
• Dizziness
• Hearing loss
• Reproductive system difficulties

Excellent food sources of manganese include mustard greens, kale, chard, raspberries, pineapple, romaine lettuce, collard greens and maple syrup.

For serving size for specific foods, see Nutrient Rating Chart below at the bottom of this page.

Description Function Deficiency Symptoms Toxicity Symptoms Cooking, storage and processing Factors that affect function

Drug-nutrient interaction Nutrient interaction Health conditions Supplements Food Sources Public Recommendations References

Description

What is manganese?

Manganese, a trace mineral that participates in many enzyme systems in the body, was first considered an essential nutrient in 1931. Researchers discovered that experimental animals fed a diet deficient in manganese demonstrated poor growth and impaired reproduction. Manganese is found widely in nature, but occurs only in trace amounts in human tissues. The human body contains a total of 15-20 milligrams of manganese, most of which is located in the bones, with the remainder found in the kidneys, liver, pancreas, pituitary glands, and adrenal glands.

How it Functions

What is the function of manganese?

In the human body, manganese functions as an enzyme activator and as a component of metalloenzymes (an enzyme that contains a metal ion in its structure).

Enzyme activator

Manganese activates the enzymes responsible for the utilization of several key nutrients including biotin, thiamin, ascorbic acid, and choline. It is a catalyst in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol, facilitates protein and carbohydrate metabolism, and may also participate in the production of sex hormones and maintaining reproductive health.

In addition, manganese activates the enzymes known as glycolsyltranserferases and xylosyltransferases, which are important in the formation of bone. It has also been theorized that manganese is involved in the production of the thyroid hormone known as thyroxine and in maintaining the health of nerve tissue.

A component of metalloenzymes

Manganese has additional functions as a constituent of the following metalloenzymes:

• Arginase, the enzyme in the liver responsible for creating urea, a component of urine
• Glutamine synthetase, an enzyme involved in the synthesis of glutamine
• Phosphoenolpyruvate decarboxylase, an enzyme that participates in the metabolism of blood sugar
• Manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase, an enzyme with antioxidant activity that protects tissues from the damaging effects of free radicals.This enzyme is found exclusively inside the body's mitochondria (oxygen-based energy factories inside most of our cells).

Deficiency Symptoms

What are deficiency symptoms for manganese?

Because manganese plays a role in a variety of enzyme systems, dietary deficiency of manganese can impact many physiological processes. In experimental animals, manganese deficiency causes impaired growth, skeletal abnormalities, and defects in carbohydrate and fat metabolism.

In addition, offspring of experimental animals fed manganese-deficient diets develop ataxia, a movement disorder characterized by lack of muscle coordination and balance. This condition is caused by poor development of the otoliths, the structures in the inner ear that are responsible for equilibrium.

In humans, manganese deficiency is associated with nausea, vomiting, poor glucose tolerance (high blood sugar levels), skin rash, loss of hair color, excessive bone loss, low cholesterol levels, dizziness, hearing loss, and compromised function of the reproductive system. Severe manganese deficiency in infants can cause paralysis, convulsions, blindness, and deafness.

It is important to emphasize, however, that manganese deficiency is very rare in humans, and does not usually develop unless manganese is deliberately eliminated from the diet. In addition, it has been suggested that magnesium substitutes for manganese in certain enzyme systems if manganese is deficient, thereby allowing the body to function normally despite the deficiency.

Toxicity Symptoms

What are toxicity symptoms for manganese?

Most cases of manganese toxicity are seen in industrial workers who are exposed to manganese dust. These workers develop nervous system problems similar to Parkinson's disease.

Although symptoms of manganese toxicity do not typically appear even at high levels of dietary intake, in severe cases of excessive manganese consumption individuals can develop a syndrome called "manganese madness," characterized by hallucinations, violent acts, and irritability. Overconsumption of manganese is also associated with impotency. Manganese toxicity is most likely to occur in people with chronic liver disease, as the liver plays an important role in eliminating excess manganese from the body.

In 2000, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences established the following Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) for manganese:

• Infants: not established (no supplemental manganese should be given)
• 1-3 years: 2 milligrams
• 4-8 years: 3 milligrams
• 9-13 years: 6 milligrams
• 14-18 years, including pregnant and lactating women: 9 milligrams
• Greater than 19 years, including pregnant and lactating women: 11 milligrams

Impact of Cooking, Storage and Processing

How do cooking, storage, or processing affect manganese?

Significant amounts of manganese can be lost in food processing, especially in the milling of whole grains to produce flour, and in the cooking of beans. Three and one half ounces of raw navy beans, for example, start out with about 1 milligram of manganese. This amount drops by 60% to 0.4 milligrams after cooking.

Factors that Affect Function

What factors might contribute to a deficiency of manganese?

Poor dietary intake of manganese appears to be the most common cause of manganese deficiency. However, other factors can contribute to a need for more manganese. Like zinc, manganese is a mineral that can be excreted in significant amounts through sweat, and invididuals who go through periods of excessive sweating may be at increased risk for manganese deficiency.

Proper formation of bile in the liver, and proper circulation of bile through the body are also required for manganese transport. As a result, individuals with chronic liver or gallbladder disorders may need more dietary manganese.

Drug-Nutrient Interactions

What medications affect manganese?

Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) and antacids (for example, Tums) may interfere with manganese absorption.

Nutrient Interactions

How do other nutrients interact with manganese?

High doses of manganese may inhibit the absorption of iron, copper, and zinc. Alternatively, high intakes of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper and zinc may inhibit the absorption of manganese.

Health Conditions

What health conditions require special emphasis on manganese?

Manganese may play a role in the prevention and/or treatment of the following medical conditions:

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Heart disease
• Learning disabilities
• Multiple sclerosis
• Myasthenia gravis
• Osteoporosis
• Premenstrual syndrome
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Schizophrenics
• Sprains and strains

Form in Dietary Supplements

What forms of manganese are found in dietary supplements?

As a dietary supplement, manganese is found in complex with sulfate, chloride, picolinate, gluconate, and amino acids. There is insufficient research on delivery forms to establish a clear preference for one form over another. Most high-quality supplement manufacturers use a form of manganese where this mineral has been hooked together (chelated) with an organic acid like gluconic acid or an amino acid like glycine or arginine.

Food Sources

What foods provide manganese?

Excellent sources of manganese include mustard greens, kale, chard, raspberries, pineapple, romaine lettuce, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, kale, maple syrup, molasses, garlic, grapes, summer squash, strawberries, oats, spelt, green beans, brown rice, garbanzo beans, ground cloves, cinnamon, thyme, peppermint, and turmeric.

Very good sources of manganese include leeks, tofu, broccoli:foodspice,9], beets, beets, whole wheat, and tempeh.

Good sources of manganese include cucumber, peanuts, millet, barley, figs, bananas, kiwifruit, carrots and black beans.

 

Introduction to Nutrient Rating System Chart

In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the World's Healthiest Foods that are either an excellent, very good, or good source of manganese. Next to each food name, you'll find the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition, the calories contained in the serving, the amount of manganese contained in one serving size of the food, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of our rating system.

World's Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of: manganese
Food	Serving Size	Cals	Amount (mg)	DV (%)	Nutrient Density	World's Healthiest Foods Rating
Cloves, dried, ground	2 tsp	14.2	1.32	66.0	83.7	excellent
Cinnamon, ground	2 tsp	11.8	0.76	38.0	57.8	excellent
Romaine lettuce	2 cup	15.7	0.71	35.5	40.8	excellent
Spinach, boiled	1 cup	41.4	1.68	84.0	36.5	excellent
Pineapple	1 cup	76.0	2.56	128.0	30.3	excellent
Thyme, dried, ground	2 tsp	7.9	0.24	12.0	27.3	excellent
Turmeric, powder	2 tsp	16.0	0.36	18.0	20.2	excellent
Black pepper	2 tsp	10.9	0.24	12.0	19.9	excellent
Collard greens, boiled	1 cup	49.4	1.07	53.5	19.5	excellent
Raspberries	1 cup	60.3	1.24	62.0	18.5	excellent
Mustard greens, boiled	1 cup	21.0	0.38	19.0	16.3	excellent
Oregano, dried, ground	2 tsp	9.2	0.16	8.0	15.7	very good
Turnip greens, cooked	1 cup	28.8	0.49	24.5	15.3	excellent
Swiss chard, boiled	1 cup	35.0	0.58	29.0	14.9	excellent
Dill weed	2 tsp	5.1	0.08	4.0	14.2	good
Kale, boiled	1 cup	36.4	0.54	27.0	13.4	excellent
Maple syrup	2 tsp	34.9	0.44	22.0	11.3	excellent
Blackstrap molasses	2 tsp	32.1	0.36	18.0	10.1	excellent
Garlic	1 oz-wt	42.2	0.47	23.5	10.0	excellent
Grapes	1 cup	61.6	0.66	33.0	9.6	excellent
Basil, dried, ground	2 tsp	7.5	0.08	4.0	9.6	good
Summer squash, cooked, slices	1 cup	36.0	0.38	19.0	9.5	excellent
Strawberries	1 cup	43.2	0.42	21.0	8.8	excellent
Oats, whole grain, cooked	1 cup	147.4	1.37	68.5	8.4	excellent
Spelt grains, cooked	4 oz-wt	144.0	1.24	62.0	7.8	excellent
Green beans, boiled	1 cup	43.8	0.37	18.5	7.6	excellent
Tamari (Soy Sauce)	1 tbs	10.8	0.09	4.5	7.5	good
Brown rice, cooked	1 cup	216.4	1.76	88.0	7.3	excellent
Leeks, boiled	0.50 cup	16.1	0.13	6.5	7.3	very good
Coriander seeds	2 tsp	9.9	0.08	4.0	7.3	good
Tofu, raw	4 oz-wt	86.2	0.69	34.5	7.2	very good
Rye, whole grain, uncooked	0.33 cup	188.7	1.51	75.5	7.2	excellent
Cumin seeds	1 tsp	7.5	0.06	3.0	7.2	good
Broccoli, steamed	1 cup	43.7	0.34	17.0	7.0	very good
Beets, Boiled	1 cup	74.8	0.55	27.5	6.6	very good
Wheat, bulgur, cooked	1 cup	151.1	1.11	55.5	6.6	very good
Cayenne pepper, dried	2 tsp	11.2	0.08	4.0	6.4	good
Flaxseeds	2 tbs	95.3	0.64	32.0	6.0	very good
Tempeh, cooked	4 oz-wt	223.4	1.45	72.5	5.8	very good
Crimini mushrooms, raw	5 oz-wt	31.2	0.20	10.0	5.8	very good
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked	1 cup	269.0	1.69	84.5	5.7	excellent
Green peas, boiled	1 cup	134.4	0.84	42.0	5.6	very good
Asparagus, boiled	1 cup	43.2	0.27	13.5	5.6	very good
Celery, raw	1 cup	19.2	0.12	6.0	5.6	very good
Quinoa, uncooked	0.25 cup	158.9	0.96	48.0	5.4	very good
Cauliflower, boiled	1 cup	28.5	0.17	8.5	5.4	very good
Fennel, raw, sliced	1 cup	27.0	0.16	8.0	5.3	very good
Cucumbers, slices, with peel	1 cup	13.5	0.08	4.0	5.3	good
Brussel sprouts, boiled	1 cup	60.8	0.35	17.5	5.2	very good
Pumpkin seeds, raw	0.25 cup	186.7	1.04	52.0	5.0	very good
Cabbage, shredded, boiled	1 cup	33.0	0.18	9.0	4.9	very good
Sweet potato, baked, with skin	1 each	95.4	0.52	26.0	4.9	very good
Winter squash, baked, cubes	1 cup	80.0	0.43	21.5	4.8	very good
Walnuts	0.25 cup	163.5	0.85	42.5	4.7	very good
Tomato, ripe	1 cup	37.8	0.19	9.5	4.5	very good
Blueberries	1 cup	81.2	0.40	20.0	4.4	very good
Soybeans, cooked	1 cup	297.6	1.42	71.0	4.3	very good
Eggplant, cooked, cubes	1 cup	27.7	0.13	6.5	4.2	very good
Lima beans, cooked	1 cup	216.2	0.97	48.5	4.0	very good
Bell peppers, red, raw, slices	1 cup	24.8	0.11	5.5	4.0	very good
Buckwheat, cooked	1 cup	154.6	0.68	34.0	4.0	very good
Almonds, dry roasted	0.25 cup	206.0	0.90	45.0	3.9	very good
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	229.7	0.98	49.0	3.8	very good
Sesame seeds	0.25 cup	206.3	0.88	44.0	3.8	very good
Miso	1 oz	70.8	0.30	15.0	3.8	very good
Pinto beans, cooked	1 cup	234.3	0.95	47.5	3.6	very good
Navy beans, cooked	1 cup	258.4	1.01	50.5	3.5	very good
Kidney beans, cooked	1 cup	224.8	0.84	42.0	3.4	very good
Onions, raw	1 cup	60.8	0.22	11.0	3.3	good
Sunflower seeds, raw	0.25 cup	205.2	0.73	36.5	3.2	good
Peanuts, raw	0.25 cup	207.0	0.71	35.5	3.1	good
Mustard seeds	2 tsp	35.0	0.12	6.0	3.1	good
Split peas, cooked	1 cup	231.3	0.78	39.0	3.0	good
Black beans, cooked	1 cup	227.0	0.76	38.0	3.0	good
Carrots, raw	1 cup	52.5	0.17	8.5	2.9	good
Yam (Dioscorea species), cubed, cooked	1 cup	157.8	0.50	25.0	2.9	good
Ginger root	1 oz-wt	19.6	0.06	3.0	2.8	good
Cranberries	0.50 cup	23.3	0.07	3.5	2.7	good
Millet, cooked	1 cup	285.6	0.66	33.0	2.1	good
Barley, cooked	1 cup	270.0	0.62	31.0	2.1	good
Potato, baked, with skin	1 cup	133.0	0.28	14.0	1.9	good
Corn, yellow, cooked	1 cup	177.1	0.32	16.0	1.6	good
Figs, fresh	8 oz-wt	167.8	0.29	14.5	1.6	good
Kiwifruit	1 each	46.4	0.08	4.0	1.6	good
Banana	1 each	108.6	0.18	9.0	1.5	good

World's Healthiest Foods Rating	Rule
excellent	DV>=75%	OR	Density>=7.6	AND	DV>=10%
very good	DV>=50%	OR	Density>=3.4	AND	DV>=5%
good	DV>=25%	OR	Density>=1.5	AND	DV>=2.5%

Public Health Recommendations

What are current public health recommendations for manganese?

The Adequate Intake (AI) levels for manganese, set in 2000 by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences, are as follows:

• 0-6 months: 3 micrograms
• 7-12 months: 600 micrograms
• 1-3 years: 1.2 milligrams
• 4-8 years: 1.5 milligrams
• Boys 9-13 years: 1.9 milligrams
• Boys 14-18 years: 2.2 milligrams
• Girls 9-13 years: 1.6 milligrams
• Girls 14-18 years: 1.6 milligrams
• Men 19-70 years: 2.3 milligrams
• Men greater than 70 years: 2.3 milligrams
• Women 19-70 years: 1.8 milligrams
• Women greater than 70 years: 1.8 milligrams
• Pregnant women 14-50 years: 2 milligrams
• Lactating women 14-50 years: 2 milligrams

References

• Aschner M. Manganese: brain transport and emerging research needs. Environ Health Perspect 2000 Jun;108 Suppl 3:429-32 2000. PMID:15720.
• Baquer NZ, Sinclair M, Kunjara S et al. Regulation of glucose utilization and lipogenesis in adipose tissue of diabetic and fat fed animals: Effects of insulin and manganese. J Biosci 2003 Mar;28(2):215-21 2003.
• Crowley JD, Traynor DA, Weatherburn DC. Enzymes and proteins containing manganese: an overview. Met Ions Biol Syst 2000;37:209-78 2000. PMID:15760.
• Groff JL, Gropper SS, Hunt SM. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. West Publishing Company, New York, 1995 1995.
• Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. National Academy Press: Washington DC, 2001 2001.
• Keen CL, Ensunsa JL, Clegg MS. Manganese metabolism in animals and humans including the toxicity of manganese. Met Ions Biol Syst 2000;37:89-121 2000. PMID:15770.
• Lininger SW, et al. A-Z guide to drug-herb-vitamin interactions. Prima Health, Rocklin, CA, 2000 2000.
• Yoder DW, Hwang J, Penner-Hahn JE. Manganese catalases. Met Ions Biol Syst 2000;37:527-57 2000. PMID:15740.

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