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Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace mineral that is concentrated primarily in the bone, liver, pancreas, and brain. This mineral is a component of several enzymes: (1) Mn-superoxide dismutase which prevents tissue damage due to lipid (fat) oxidation; (2) arginase which helps forms the urea in the urine from the amino acid arginine; and (3) pyruvate carboxylase which helps break down carbohydrates. Manganese also activates numerous enzymes, particularly glycosyltransferases which are involved with the formation of cartilage in bone and skin.

Deficiencies: In animals manganese deficiencies produce abnormalities in brain function, glucose tolerance, reproduction, and skeletal and cartilage formation. In humans, gross deficiencies have not been documented in free-living populations but deficiencies created in a metabolic unit suggest the mineral is important to maintain the integrity of the skin, bone and menstrual cycle, and in cholesterol metabolism. Certain population groups have been reported to have suboptimal status, including children with birth defects or on long-term total parenteral nutrition and patients with Perthes' disease, hip dislocations in Down's syndrome, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, non-trauma epilepsy, senile cataracts, acromegaly, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Diet recommendations: The Estimated Safe and Adequate Dietary Intakes (ESADDIs) for Mn are:

Usual dietary intakes in the U.S. are about 2.2 and 2.8 mg/day for adult women and men, respectively. However, much higher intakes (10-18 mg) are found with vegetarian diets and those based on whole-grain products. Thus, the current ESADDI may be too conservative for adults.

Food sources: Excellent sources of manganese (>1 mg/serving) include pecans, peanuts, pineapple fruit and juice, oatmeal, shredded wheat and raisin bran cereal. Good sources (> 0.5 mg/serving) are beans (pinto, lima, navy), rice, spinach, sweet potato, and whole wheat bread. Almost no Mn is found in meat, poultry, fish, milk, dairy products or sugary and refined foods.

Dietary components that may adversely affect manganese absorption, retention or excretion include iron, phosphorus, phytates, fiber, calcium, copper, and polyphenolic compounds.

Toxicity: Toxicity has occurred from industrial exposure, such as miners breathing manganese dust and drinking contaminated well water. Symptoms of toxicity are the development of a schizophrenia with nervous disorders resembling Parkinson's disease. The reference dose (RfD) set by the EPA in 1993 is 10 mg/day for a 70 kg body weight; this dietary level is considered to be without significant risk of a deleterious effect for a lifetime of exposure. But there is no evidence of toxicity occurring from ingestion of typical diets. For drinking water, the RfD is 0.2 mg Mn/L.

Recent research: Lower manganese bloods levels have been observed in patients with osteoporosis, non-trauma epilepsy and Perthes' disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a very sensitive technique that can detect toxic accumulation in the brain.

For further information:

Freeland-Graves, J. (1994) Derivation of Manganese Estimated Safe and Daily Dietary Intakes. In: Risk Assessment of Essential Elements (Mertz, C., Abernathy, C. & Olin, S.S., eds.), pp. 237-252. International Life Sciences Institute Press, Washington, D.C.

Penland, J. & Johnson, P. (1993) Dietary manganese and calcium effects on menstrual cycle symptoms. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 168: 1417-1423.

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