July 16, 2015 general

Wildfires routinely blacken already parched earth in the West. Meanwhile, floods often sweep homes from their soggy earth moorings in the East. And yet, on the average, the US probably has perfectly fine water levels. Unfortunately, the same misleading statistical analysis exists with health and nutrition. For example, too often dietary guidelines are set based on averages of masses of human beings who are, in the truest sense of the word, each unique.

Keeping various nutrients in balance and matching that to the individual’s need are critical to optimum health, but requires us to pay attention to what is going on with our bodies. Have you noticed that houseplant leaves can turn yellow with either too much water or too little? Similarly, people can suffer symptoms with too much of a nutrient that are similar to those they might experience with too little. We could talk about balance in any aspect of diet or supplementation, but micro-nutrients are the most overlooked. Vitamins are usually only a problem from too little intake rather than too much. So, I’ll skip that for now, but since we do need to keep a closer eye on minerals in supplement form, today I am going to focus on just one that we don’t usually consider.

MANGANESE (not to be confused with magnesium).

I was inspired to talk about this mineral because a retired physician that I greatly respect asked me about high levels found in his well water.

Function: Manganese is used in the activation of a great many important enzymes in the body, including one that you may have heard discussed as an anti-aging protector, Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD).

Sources:  This lengthy and authoritative article lists sources that include: Nuts, seeds, wheat germ, wheat bran, leafy green vegetables, beet tops, tea, and pineapple.

Recommended intake: There is controversy about the right intake amount. Some recommend a very low amount, but others say that under normal circumstances our absolute need is probably somewhere in the range of 3-6 mg per day. That is somewhat below the typical supplement amounts (5–20 mg) which have been shown to be safe. As I mentioned, each of us is unique, and poor digestion or one of the balance issues below might increase our need for the mineral.

Balance issues: Over-consumption of any single mineral such as calcium, iron, zinc and rarely perhaps even my beloved magnesium may interfere with manganese absorption and thereby create an artificial deficiency. On the flip side, it appears important to have sufficient magnesium intake for protection of the nervous system in case of manganese overload. Study. It may be that being short on magnesium is one reason that manganese and other metals accumulate.

Possibly linked to deficiency: Imbalances in minerals are most often sub-clinical. That means the signs are subtle and not likely caught in a routine office visit. The Natural Products Foundation Database rates the science on some of the potential manganese deficiency signs such as: Fatigue, Fertility Problems, Osteoporosis, Goiter, Blood Sugar Regulation Issues, Osgood-Schlatter Disease (zinc and vitamin B6 likely low too), Sprains, Seizures and Tardive Dyskinesia.

Signs of manganese excess: Toxicity is typically due to industrial or agricultural sources or toxic spills. Read more. Smoking is also a source of manganese. Excess manganese is thought to deplete that critical detoxification enzyme, glutathione that we discussed and can result in neurological problems such as Parkinson’s like symptoms. Migraine sufferers have been found to have much higher levels of manganese and other metals than those who do not.

Testing: Manganese is not routinely tested, but can be assayed by special request. That would not seem worth doing unless deficiency signs were present. Sometimes people show high levels of manganese from a hair mineral analysis, but that can be due to contamination from manganese contained in hair treatment products.

Safest plan: Unless instructed otherwise by a health professional, it is usually best to take most minerals in an expertly balanced combination supplement. Magnesium (not manganese) is a common exception to that rule because we need so much of it. We can supplement it separately. However, even in that case we don’t want to get carried away and cause imbalances elsewhere.

Bottom line: We need all of the minerals. Our chemistry today is still based on the healthy natural diet that our ancient ancestors ate before our modern food sources were so badly degraded. Our Health Library has many pages about a variety of supplements. (Click “Library” on the main menu.) This link is to a general supplement information page. Well, that was heavy stuff, so I’d like to end with this, funny video spoof on a healthy diet.