Manganese Intake
The daily intake should be between 2 - 5 mg, but the absolutely necessary requirement is below 1 mg per day. Unlike vitamins, trace elements do not provide energy; they are responsible for example for bone formation, tooth development, hormones, and blood cells.
Function of Manganese
This trace element is therefore responsible in our case for the production of hormones, whether for the thyroid gland or sexual drive, as well as for bone formation and growth. It is also important for insulin and glucose formation; the latter is among other things important for body detoxification through the liver. If manganese is not sufficiently present in the body, it can lead to appetite and weight loss, it can cause disorders of the reproductive organs, but there can also be mental deficits such as dementia, depression or personality disorders.
Manganese in Foods
Manganese is found in various foods; we find it in onions, tea, grains, legumes, and even though only in very small amounts, in meat, fish, and all dairy products. The body receives much more of it, but not everything is absorbed by it. Even with a significantly increased intake of manganese, there are no signs of overdose. Generally speaking, one can say that through a balanced diet, the daily intake of manganese is covered.
On the other hand, manganese dust, which we inhale through our nose, can be harmful to health. This occurs in higher quantities in steel processing plants and during the production of dry batteries and fireworks. Additional stress over years can lead to respiratory diseases up to pneumonia. But neurological damage such as Parkinson's disease can also be a consequence of this oversupply. In animal experiments, there was also carcinogenic or gene-altering potential.
Overview of Trace Elements
| Chromium |
| Iron |
| Fluorine |
| Iodine |
| Copper |
| Manganese |
| Selenium |
| Zinc |