Manganese

What Are "Star" Ratings?

a7_3star Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit.

a7_2star Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary studies suggesting a health benefit or minimal health benefit.

a7_1star For an herb, supported by traditional use but minimal or no scientific evidence. For a supplement, little scientific support.

Our proprietary “Star-Rating” system was developed to help you easily understand the amount of scientific support behind each supplement in relation to a specific health condition. While there is no way to predict whether a vitamin, mineral, or herb will successfully treat or prevent associated health conditions, our unique ratings tell you how well these supplements are understood by the medical community, and whether studies have found them to be effective for other people.

For over a decade, our team has combed through thousands of research articles published in reputable journals. To help you make educated decisions, and to better understand controversial or confusing supplements, our medical experts have digested the science into these three easy-to-follow ratings. We hope this provides you with a helpful resource to make informed decisions towards your health and well-being.

This supplement has been used in connection with the following health conditions:

Used for	Amount	Why
Tardive Dyskinesia	For prevention: 15 mg daily while taking anti-psychotic medication; treat under a doctor's supervision: 60 mg daily	Supplementing with manganese may prevent onset or help reverse the condition.
Tardive Dyskinesia For prevention: 15 mg daily while taking anti-psychotic medication; treat under a doctor's supervision: 60 mg daily One doctor has found that administering the trace mineral manganese (15 mg per day) can prevent the development of TD and that higher amounts (up to 60 mg per day) can reverse TD that has already developed.¹ Other researchers have reported similar improvements with manganese.² ^{, 3} Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Goiter and Manganese Deficiency	800 IU daily	Deficiencies of manganese can contribute to iodine-deficiency goiter. Supplementing with manganese may help.
Goiter and Manganese Deficiency 800 IU daily When iodine deficiency is present, other nutrient levels become important in the development of goiter. Deficiencies of zinc⁴ and manganese⁵ can both contribute to iodine-deficiency goiter; however, an animal study found that manganese excess can also be goitrogenic.⁶ It has been suggested that selenium deficiency may contribute to goiter.⁷ However, when selenium supplements were given to people deficient in both iodine and selenium, thyroid dysfunction was aggravated, and it has been suggested that selenium deficiency may provide some protection when there is iodine deficiency.⁸ ^{, 9} A study of the effects of selenium supplementation at 100 mcg daily in women without selenium deficiency but with slightly low iodine intake found no effect on thyroid function.¹⁰ The authors concluded that selenium supplementation seems to be safe in people with only iodine deficiency but not in people with combined selenium and iodine deficiencies. In those cases, iodine supplementation has been shown to be most useful.¹¹ No studies have been done to evaluate the usefulness of supplementation with zinc or manganese to prevent or treat goiter.

Used for	Amount	Why
Hypoglycemia	Refer to label instructions	Manganese helps control blood sugar levels in diabetics, and since there are similarities in the way the body regulates high and low blood sugar levels, it might be helpful for hypoglycemia as well.
Hypoglycemia Research has shown that supplementing with chromium (200 mcg per day)¹² or magnesium (340 mg per day)¹³ can prevent blood sugar levels from falling excessively in people with hypoglycemia. Niacinamide (vitamin B3) has also been found to be helpful for hypoglycemic people.¹⁴ Other nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, copper, manganese, and vitamin B6, may help control blood sugar levels in diabetics.¹⁵ Since there are similarities in the way the body regulates high and low blood sugar levels, these nutrients might be helpful for hypoglycemia as well, although the amounts needed for that purpose are not known. Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Osgood-Schlatter Disease (Vitamin B6, Zinc)	Refer to label instructions	Some doctors have reported good results using a combination of zinc, manganese, and vitamin B6 for people with Osgood-Schlatter disease.
Osgood-Schlatter Disease Another group of doctors has reported good results using a combination of zinc, manganese, and vitamin B6 for people with Osgood-Schlatter disease; however, the amounts of these supplements were not mentioned in the report.¹⁶ Most physicians would consider reasonable daily amounts of these nutrients for adolescents to be 15 mg of zinc, 5 to 10 mg of manganese, and 25 mg of vitamin B6. Larger amounts might be used with medical supervision. Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Osteoporosis	Refer to label instructions	A combination of minerals including manganese was reported to halt bone loss in one study. Some doctors recommend manganese to people concerned with bone mass maintenance.
Osteoporosis Interest in the effect of manganese and bone health began when famed basketball player Bill Walton’s repeated fractures were halted with manganese supplementation.¹⁷ A subsequent, unpublished study reported manganese deficiency in a small group of osteoporotic women.¹⁸ Since then, a combination of minerals including manganese was reported to halt bone loss.¹⁹ However, no human trial has investigated the effect of manganese supplementation alone on bone mass. Nonetheless, some doctors recommend 10 to 20 mg of manganese per day to people concerned with maintenance of bone mass. One trial studying postmenopausal women combined hormone replacement therapy with magnesium (600 mg per day), calcium (500 mg per day), vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin D, zinc, copper, manganese, boron, and other nutrients for an eight- to nine-month period.²⁰ In addition, participants were told to avoid processed foods, limit protein intake, emphasize vegetable over animal protein, and limit consumption of salt, sugar, alcohol, coffee, tea, chocolate, and tobacco. Bone density increased a remarkable 11%, compared to only 0.7% in women receiving hormone replacement alone. Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Sprains and Strains	Refer to label instructions	Trace minerals, such as manganese, are known to be important in the biochemistry of tissue healing.
Sprains and Strains Zinc is a component of many enzymes, including some that are needed to repair wounds. Even a mild deficiency of zinc can interfere with optimal recovery from everyday tissue damage as well as from more serious trauma.²¹ Trace minerals, such as manganese, copper, and silicon are also known to be important in the biochemistry of tissue healing.²²^{, 23}^{, 24}^{, 25} However, there have been no controlled studies of people with sprains or strains to explore the effect of deficiency of these minerals, or of oral supplementation, on the rate of healing. Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Type 1 Diabetes	Refer to label instructions	People with diabetes may have low manganese levels, which can contribute to glucose intolerance. Supplementing with the mineral may help.
Type 1 Diabetes People with diabetes may have low blood levels of manganese.²⁶ Animal research suggests that manganese deficiency can contribute to glucose intolerance and may be reversed by supplementation.²⁷ A young adult with insulin-dependent diabetes who received oral manganese (3 to 5 mg per day as manganese chloride) reportedly experienced a significant fall in blood glucose, sometimes to dangerously low levels. In three other people with type 1 diabetes, manganese supplementation had no effect on blood glucose levels.²⁸ People with type 1 diabetes wishing to supplement with manganese should do so only with a doctor’s close supervision. Learn More

Used for	Amount	Why
Type 2 Diabetes	Refer to label instructions	People with diabetes may have low manganese levels, which can contribute to glucose intolerance. Supplementing with the mineral may help.
Type 2 Diabetes People with diabetes may have low blood levels of manganese.²⁹ Animal research suggests that manganese deficiency can contribute to glucose intolerance and may be reversed by supplementation.³⁰ A young adult with insulin-dependent diabetes who received oral manganese chloride (3 to 5 mg per day as manganese chloride) reportedly experienced a significant fall in blood glucose, sometimes to dangerously low levels. In four other cases, manganese supplementation had no effect on blood glucose levels.³¹ People with diabetes wishing to supplement with manganese should do so only with a doctor’s supervision. Learn More

Also indexed as:

dietary manganese

About this treatment

How to Use It

Whether most people would benefit from manganese supplementation remains unclear. While there is no recommended dietary allowance, the National Research Council’s “estimated safe and adequate daily dietary intake” is 2–5 mg. The Institute of Medicine recommends that intake of manganese from food, water and dietary supplements should not exceed the tolerable daily upper limit of 11 mg per day. In contrast, the 5–15 mg often found in high-potency multivitamin-mineral supplements is generally considered to be a reasonable level by many doctors, though many manufacturers are likely to reformulate their products to contain no more than 11 mg per daily amount.

Where to Find It

Nuts and seeds, wheat germ, wheat bran, leafy green vegetables, beet tops, tea, and pineapple are all good sources of manganese.

Possible Deficiencies

Many people consume less than the 2–5 mg of manganese currently considered safe and adequate. Nonetheless, clear deficiencies are rare. People with osteoporosis sometimes have low blood levels of manganese, suggestive of deficiency.

Interactions

Last Review: 05-11-2011

Learn more about Aisle7, the company.

The information presented in Aisle7 is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2011.

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

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