Manganese

Basic Information about Manganese

Manganese is a trace mineral in the human body. There is about 10 mg total in the human body. Manganese is normally stored in certain areas of the body—the brain, kidney, liver, pancreas, and bone structure of the body.

Although there is just a trace amount of manganese which is stored in the body, it is still a very important mineral for the health of the human body. Manganese will help the body to create and repair the connective tissue of the body. It is also used in the creation of the bone structure in the body. Manganese can help the body to clot blood more effectively, and it is used in the creation of certain sex hormones. It also plays a factor in blood sugar regulation, carbohydrate metabolism, fat metabolism, and calcium absorption. Brain functions and functions of the central nervous system depend on a healthy amount of manganese being in the body.

Manganese is also a part of the antioxidant enzyme. This is important because that means manganese will help to eliminate free radicals in the body. 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.

The antioxidant nature of manganese is important for anyone who is lifting weights. There have been studies showing a connection between lifting weights, the creation of new muscle, and the raising of free radicals in the human body. A person lifting weights should definitely supplement their diet with some form of antioxidants in order to get the benefits of weight lifting without the side effects of additional free radicals in the body.

Food Sources of Manganese

Manganese is one of the essential elements which can be found in all major food sources. Nearly every living thing on the planet has a trace amount of manganese in their body. Therefore there is a wide variety of food sources for a person to get an adequate supply of manganese.

There are many sources of manganese, but the higher sources usually include vegetables and seeds which are high in oil. Foods such as nuts, seeds, wheat germ, unrefined cereals, buckwheat, oats, legumes, pineapples, leafy green vegetables (spinach, lettuce, etc), beans, and certain varieties of teas all contain high concentrations of manganese. These food sources are all excellent to add to a diet in order to increase the amount of manganese to the proper amount.

Health Benefits of Manganese

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the lives of millions of older adults every year. Researchers believe that manganese can be used to treat and prevent osteoporosis. Manganese is not a cure all for osteoporosis; however, in a recent study of post menopausal women, those taking manganese in addition to other bone friendly minerals had a superior health benefit in their bones compared to those people not taking manganese.

Bone health is very important for older woman. Nearly half of all women over the age of fifty will break a bone in their body as a result of osteoporosis. That is twice as many occurrences in comparison to men. This is due to the bone density loss which women suffer as a result of menopause. It is estimated that women will lose anywhere between ten and twenty-five percent of their total bone density after going through menopause. The percentage of bone density lost during menopause has been correlated to the amount of calcium women have stored in their body before the age of thirty. This means the health of women before their thirties will influence their bone health later in life. Manganese is one of the minerals which help the body to metabolize and store calcium better in the bones. A good diet including calcium and manganese before the age of thirty will help a woman’s health later in life.

There are a few scientists who believe that raising the levels of a certain antioxidant in the body will help to treat arthritis. Manganese is the mineral most directly linked with this arthritis friendly antioxidant. There is no conclusive clinical study linking any antioxidant to the treatment of arthritis, but the initial research to the connection seems to be very promising.

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, seems to be linked to the amounts of Manganese in the body. In a very well documented study women taking supplementation of Manganese had much fewer mood swings, cramps, and other PMS symptoms compared to the controlled group in the experiment. It has also been demonstrated that women going through their period will have lower levels of manganese than normal.

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 subpar 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.