Manganese is a mineral used by the human body for a number of processes. Its needed for proper growth and the break down of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Also without manganese our bodies wouldn’t be able to make and store fat (which we do need-though some of us may not like the idea) nor would we be able to make use of certain vitamins such as Vitamin B1,C, biotin and choline.
Manganese also seems to be involved in brain function but researchers aren’t certain of its functioning yet. It is a trace mineral, meaning that even though your body needs it, the body only uses very small amounts of it. You can easily take too much Manganese.
In combination with glucosamine chondroitin, Manganese supplement therapy can be used for the prevention of osteoarthritis pain. But many people should be wary of supplements which contain very high amounts of this potentially toxic mineral.
Manganese inhaled by welding workers or consumed in high concentrations from polluted drinking water is known to be toxic. This can produce profound neurological damage. This is because the mineral goes to the brain bypassing the normal route through the liver which would otherwise remove toxins from the body.
By the same token manganese is an important antioxidant and the primary one used in the mitochondria. The mitochondria is the power plant in the human cell which produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This is the energy which is used to produce all functions. As the body needs energy ATP is broken down and in the process lots of energy is released for the cells to use.
You can find Manganese in nuts, egg yolks, sunflower seeds, whole grains, brown rice, leafy greens. You can also pick up some Manganese from your morning coffee and tea.
Manganese is present in most diets but some may benefit from multivitamin supplementation. The findings aren’t very conclusive and no one is very sure how much can safely be consumed.
Many vegetarian diets have relatively high levels of manganese. Those who consume large amounts of whole grains may have very high intakes of manganese. Tea also contains fairly high amounts of manganese but the tannins in tea may hinder its absorption.
Manganese deficiency isn’t common because the body only needs small amounts to carry on its processes. It may be possible in those with certain disorders or gastrointestinal conditions. Signs of manganese deficiency include; problems concerning your blood sugar levels, reduced fertility, pain in the disks of the vertebrae and prolonged deficiency in children may cause deafness, blindness, and paralysis.
An Adequate Intake Level(AL) for manganese has been set at 2.3 mg/per day for adult men and 1.8 mg/per day for adult women. Adult in this case means those over the age of 19 years of age.
Tolerable Upper Intake Level for the intake of manganese has been established at 11 mg/per day. Although some supplements contain more and have been associated with some reduction in bone mineral loss due to osteoporosis this is not really recommended.
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Article Source: http://www.fitnesshealtharticles.com.
About the Author:
Author Vincent Platania represents the Rawleigh Products.W.T. Rawleigh founded Rawleigh Products in the late 1800s to create a line of products that possessed both strength and quality. Visit http://www.rawleigh-products.com
Manganese Supplement
