When to take
Manganese

What is manganese good for?

Not to be confused with its more popular cousin magnesium, manganese is one of several essential minerals that your body needs in order to function properly, although it is only required in trace amounts. Specifically, your body needs manganese for brain function and for the nervous system, as well as for ensuring correct enzyme function.

Role in bone health

Manganese is also important for bone growth and bone maintenance, and it works in conjunction with calcium, zinc and copper to contribute towards bone density, something which becomes increasingly important as we age.

Benefits for inflammation

Manganese also forms part of a powerful antioxidant called superoxide dismutase, or SOD for short, which plays an important role in reducing inflammation, with studies showing that it can act as a treatment for several inflammatory diseases and disorders.

Role in thyroid function

It also plays a role in the production of a hormone called thyroxine, which your thyroid gland needs in order to function properly. This means that a deficiency in manganese could result in a condition known as hypothyroidism, which in turn could lead to disrupted metabolism, weight gain, and further hormonal imbalances.

Role in diabetes

Manganese is also known to play a role in regulating blood sugar levels, and in some animal studies, a deficiency of manganese has been associated with glucose intolerance similar to that which occurs with diabetes in humans. Although results from human studies are mixed, research does show that people that suffer from diabetes do have lower manganese blood levels.

When should I take manganese?

There does not appear to be a consensus on the best time of day for taking manganese, however most supplement manufacturers suggest taking manganese with a meal for optimal absorption.

What does manganese combine well with?

Manganese with glucosamine & chondroitin, for joint health

Recent research shows that when manganese is combined with glucosamine and chondroitin, it can potentially reduce pain associated with osteoarthritis, a condition characterized by the degradation of the cartilage in our joints.

One study that involved 93 people suffering from osteoarthritis found that 52% of participants reported a significant improvement in their symptoms after six months of taking manganese, glucosamine and chondroitin.

Manganese with serrapeptase

Manganese is also thought to provide added benefit when taken in combination with the enzyme serrapeptase. Specifically, serrapeptase was found to be more stable and have more efficacy when in the presence of metal ions like manganese.

What should I avoid taking manganese with?

Avoid with iron, calcium, magnesium or phosphorus

Several minerals have been found to either inhibit the absorption of manganese, or otherwise limit manganese retention, and these include iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, so avoid taking any of these at the same time as your manganese supplement.

Avoid with copper

Copper absorption is in turn limited by the presence of manganese, so it is important to not combine copper with manganese when planning your supplements, and instead take them at least three hours apart.

Certain types of antibiotics, such as tetracycline antibiotics, may reduce the absorption of manganese if taken together, so it is advisable to spread these out by at least three hours.

The same applies to antacid medications, which often contain magnesium, a mineral which can inhibit manganese absorption, as noted above.

What are natural sources of manganese?

If you are interested in achieving your daily manganese intake through your diet, rich sources of manganese include:

• Mussels
• Nuts
• Grains
• Tofu
• Sweet potatoes
• Spinach
• Pineapple

Manganese data sources & further reading

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/manganese-benefits
• https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/manganese
• https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-182/manganese
• https://health.clevelandclinic.org/manganese-benefits
• https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/manganese
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC396165/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7585045/
• https://restorativemedicine.org/library/monographs/copper/