Manganese Deficiency
Recommended Amounts of Manganese
The recommended daily allowance was established by the food and nutrition board, and is used for the general term of reference for a healthy diet. These guidelines include the average daily intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%-98%) healthy individuals. The adequate intake established when evidence is insufficient to develop and recommended daily allowance, but is still set to allow for a person to get nutritional adequacy.
There is no recommended daily allowance, according to the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of National Academies. According to the Mayo Clinic there are normal daily recommended adequate intakes which have been generally defined, and these intakes are as following: age zero to six months male 0.003 mg per day, age zero to six months female 0.003 mg per day, age seven months to one year male 0.6 mg per day, age one year to three years male 1.2 mg per day, age one year to three years female 1.2 mg per day, age four years to eight years male 1.5 mg per day, age four years to eight years female 1.5 mg per day, age nine years to thirteen years male 1.9 mg per day, age nine years to thirteen years female 1.6 mg per day, age fourteen years to eighteen years male 2.2 mg per day, age fourteen years to eighteen years female 1.6 mg per day, age nineteen years and older male 2.3 mg per day, age nineteen years and older female 1.8 mg per day, age nineteen years and older female pregnant 2 mg per day, and age nineteen years and older lactating female 2.6 mg per day.
It is recommended that women who are pregnant or lactating to a higher amount of manganese; however, women who are pregnant or nursing should be careful not to exceed the upper limits recommended for manganese.
Manganese Deficiency
One of the groups at the highest risk of manganese deficiency is women who are pregnant or lactating. One of the major symptoms which occur due to manganese deficiency is a deformity in the growth of bones. Those suffering from manganese deficiency can also suffer from the lack of ability to collagen wounds. Both of these symptoms can be very dangerous for unborn and new born children.
There are many disorders which have a greater chance of affecting a person suffering from a lack of manganese. Joint pain, inflammation, arthritis, bursitis, dermatitis, Parkinson’s disease, osteoporosis, schizophrenia, diabetes, and epilepsy are all much higher in individuals with low levels of manganese in their body.
Manganese is the principle component in an antioxidant found in mitochondria. This means that a lack of manganese will cause a greater number of free radicals to be found in the body. This increase of free radicals can be very hazardous to a person’s health. Free radicals have been linked to many deadly diseases, and it is important for a person to digest many antioxidants in order to help try and prevent the damage which free radicals can cause to cells in the body. Studies have shown that those with higher levels of antioxidants in the body will have a much higher probability of contracting cancers. While there is no evidence that taking antioxidants will prevent or treat cancer—studies have shown that those taking antioxidants have less free radicals and that means they have a lower probability of contracting cancer.
Manganese Toxicity
Manganese is a metal, and like most metals too much of it in the human system can poison a person. Manganese is more widespread and less poisonous than concentrated metals like copper or nickel, but it can still lead to the poisoning a person. A person suffering from manganese poisoning will suffer from a lack of motor skills and cognitive disorders.
Those suffering from manganese poisoning usually suffer from the exposure to the powderized dust of manganese which occurs when the metal is processed, and not through exposure to the mineral through ingestion. Yet, toxicity can occur through taking too much of the supplemental version of manganese. For this reason it is very important for a person to follow the recommended dosage amounts from supplemental providers, or to follow the instructions of their health care professional.
Recreational drug abuse is also increasing the number of manganese poisonings in the United States. A certain form of the drug methamphetamine uses manganese and potassium as ingredients. This means that a person abusing methamphetamine will also be suffering from the early stages of potassium toxicity, or hyperkalemia, and manganese poisoning. This is another reason why the drug meth is having such an adverse effect on the population abusing it. An excessive exposure to manganese will overpower the urinary tract in the body, and prevent the proper digestion of foods for nutrients.
How to Get Enough Manganese in a Diet
Manganese is one the essential minerals the body needs in order to function properly. The best way to get the right amount of Manganese in the body is through a proper diet. A healthy low fat diet which includes fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats is usually enough, depending on the health of the individual, to get all of the essential vitamins and minerals the body requires.
Yet, the simple truth is very few people actually eat a full enough diet not to be lacking an essential vitamin and mineral. When the body is lacking an essential vitamin or mineral it will not function properly. The other problem is many of the essential vitamins and minerals, like manganese, cannot be easily stored in the human body. The body needs a constant daily intake of some essential vitamins and minerals.
The best way to ensure the body gets the nutrients it needs is by taking a reputable daily multivitamin. A good daily multivitamin will help to fill in the gaps of a normal healthy diet. The multivitamin will also help to bridge the deficiencies which occur due to changing health issues.
When looking for a good multivitamin look for one which is gender specific. Why? There are two major reasons. First, males and females need different amounts of vitamins and minerals. A gender specific vitamin will be able to give more of the vitamins and minerals which males and females normally struggle to obtain. Second, there are many sub par vitamin manufactures. For the health of the person taking the vitamin it is important to find a manufacture which is reputable. A manufacture with differing vitamins for males and females is a helpful indication of their legitimacy—although it is always recommended to investigate any vitamin company before making a purchase.
