Manganese:

Food Sources of Manganese:

• Apples
• Apricots
• Avocado
• Barley
• Beans
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Buckwheat
• Celery
• Chestnuts
• Egg yolks
• Green leafy vegetables
• Legumes
• Oats
• Olives
• Pine nuts
• Pineapples
• Nuts
• Raisins
• Rhubarb
• Rye meal
• Seaweed
• Seeds
• Spinach
• Split peas, dry
• Walnuts
• Watercress
• Whole grains

Herb Sources of Manganese:

• Alfalfa
• Burdock root
• Cardamom
• Catnip
• Chamomile
• Chickweed
• Dandelion
• Eyebright
• Fennel seed
• Fenugreek
• Ginseng
• Hops
• Horsetail
• Lemongrass
• Marjoram
• Mint
• Mullein
• Parsley
• Peppermint
• Raspberry
• Red clover
• Rose hips
• Wild yam
• Wintergreen
• Yellow dock

Other Sources of Manganese – Brand Names:

• Manganese Ascorbate
• Manganese B12 by Standard Process Labs
• Trace Minerals-B12
• Ligaplex I and II by Standard Process Labs (very good product)
• Cataplex E
• E-Manganese

Signs of Manganese Deficiency:

• Atherosclerosis
• Bone remodeling
• Confusion
• Convulsions
• Eye problems
• Hearing problems
• Heart disorders
• High cholesterol levels
• Hypertension
• Irritability
• Loss of hair color
• Memory loss
• Muscle contractions
• Pancreatic damage
• Profuse perspiration
• Rapid pulse
• Reduced growth of hair and nails
• Skin rash
• Tendency to breast ailments
• Tooth-grinding
• Tremors

Health Concerns – What Manganese is Used For:

• Hypoglycemia
• Minor injuries
• Tendon and Ligament repair
• Tardive dyskinesia

What Manganese Does:

• Aids in the formation of mothers’ milk
• Aids in thyroid hormone function
• Important cofactor in the key enzymes of glucose metabolism
• Increases antioxidant activity
• Key element in the production of enzymes needed to oxidize fats and to metabolize purines
• Necessary for the synthesis of bone
• Needed for healthy nerves
• Needed for protein and fat metabolism
• Needed for a healthy immune system
• Required for reproduction
• Used in energy production
• Used in the formation of cartilage and synovial (lubricating) fluid of the joints

Cautions & Comments About Manganese: 

• Antacids may also inhibit the absorption of manganese
• Manganese may inhibit the absorption of iron, copper, and zinc.
• Conversely, high intakes of magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, and zinc may inhibit the absorption of manganese
• Manganese is essential for people with iron-deficiency anemia.

Manganese Toxicity signs:

The symptoms of manganese toxicity generally appear slowly over a period of months to years. In its worst form, manganese toxicity can result in a permanent neurological disorder with symptoms similar to those of Parkinson’s disease, including tremors, difficulty walking, and facial muscle spasms. This syndrome is sometimes preceded by psychiatric symptoms, such as irritability, aggressiveness, and even hallucinations.

Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT): MMT is a manganese-containing compound used in gasoline as an anti-knock additive. Although it has been used for this purpose in Canada for more than 20 years, uncertainty about adverse health effects from inhaled exhaust emissions kept the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from approving its use in unleaded gasoline. In 1995, a U.S. court decision made MMT available for widespread use in unleaded gasoline. A recent study in Montreal, where MMT had been used for more than 10 years, found airborne manganese levels to be similar to those in areas where MMT was not used.

Helpful Links and Resources about Manganese:

• All about Manganese for health: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-182/manganese
• Manganese toxicity: What is manganism? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manganism