Manganese is an essential trace mineral, meaning that we need it to live but only in small amounts.
The human body contains about 15 mg of manganese, of which around one third is in bone and the remaining is in the liver, pancreas, kidney, and brain.
Manganese is required for the activity of multiples enzymes and contributes to many bodily functions, including:
Manganese is needed to produce superoxide dismutase which is an antioxidant that protects our cells against the damage of free radicals (1).
Manganese combined with calcium and vitamin D help improve bone development and maintenance.
Manganese is involved in the production of insulin helping stabilize blood sugar (2).
Recommended Daily Allowance for a 44-year-old male moderately active, weighting 70 kg and 175 cm tall is 2.3 mg and the Tolerable Upper Intake is 11 mg (3).
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Manganese deficiency may cause:
Too much manganese mainly affects the central nervous system and can cause: