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📰Read the full Manganese evidence review on GMJ News →Complete clinical article, references and updates on news.gmj.ge. This page is the structured safety summary.⚠ Welder or miner with parkinsonism — suspect manganism; distinguish from Parkinson disease (globus pallidus vs substantia nigra, levodopa non-responsive) [3]
⚠ Liver disease patient on TPN — reduce or omit manganese supplementation to prevent neurotoxicity [3]
⚠ Soy-formula-fed infants — monitor awareness of higher manganese content vs breast milk [3]
🥗 Food first — build your daily 2.3 mg/ 1.8 mg
Check the foods you regularly eat — the bar fills toward your daily target.
Mussels (85g)5.8 mg
Pineapple (½ cup)0.8 mg
Pecans (28g)1.3 mg
Brown rice (½ cup)1.1 mg
Spinach (½ cup)0.8 mg
Black tea (1 cup)0.5 mg
Oatmeal (½ cup)0.7 mg
Check your regular foods above
☑ Risk checker
Long-term TPN without manganese supplementation (rare) [2]
Experimentally induced by manganese-free diets [1]
Iron overload (reduces manganese absorption via DMT-1 competition) [2]
Select factors
🔬 Lab interpreter
Recommended test
Whole blood manganese
Whole blood manganese
Reference range / target
4–15 µg/L (reference varies)
4–15 µg/L (reference varies)
Elevated in manganese exposure. NOT a reliable marker of dietary status [3].
Full lab monitoring ↓⚕ For professionals — confirm ranges against your local laboratory.
Clinical verdict
Manganese deficiency is virtually non-existent; toxicity from inhalation (manganism) is the real clinical concern. The parkinsonism of manganism does NOT respond to levodopa. Dietary supplementation is almost never needed. Patients with liver disease are vulnerable to manganese accumulation [1] [3].
1 How much do I need?
👤 Adults: Specific dosage data under clinical review
👴 Elderly: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🤰 Pregnancy: See guidance
👦 Pediatric: See guidance
Infants 0–6 months: 0.003 mg/day AI; children 1–3 years: 1.2 mg/day; 4–8 years: 1.5 mg/day [1]. Neonates and infants are vulnerable to manganese excess because biliary excretion is immature. Soy
🏃 Athletes: Standard dose
⚖️ Obesity: Standard dose
Fat-soluble compounds may require dose adjustment in obesity.
🩺 Renal: Consult specialist
Dose adjustment may be needed in renal impairment.
🌱 Vegan: Standard dose
How to take
🍽 Timing: Can be taken at any time with food [1].
💊 With food: No specific requirement [1].
🚫 Avoid: Do not supplement beyond multivitamin levels unless directed. Avoid in liver disease [3].
2 Which form?
| Form | Bioavailability | Vegan | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ['Manganese gluconate', 'common', 'Good bioavailability. Standard supplemental form [1].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Manganese sulfate', '', 'Well-absorbed. Used in supplements and IV formulations [1].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Manganese citrate', '', 'Good bioavailability. Sometimes preferred for GI tolerability [2].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Manganese amino acid chelate', '', 'Chelated form marketed for enhanced absorption. Limited comparative data [2].'] | Standard | Check label |
3 Common questions
Is manganese deficiency common? ▼
No — it is essentially unheard of with a normal diet. Manganese is ubiquitous in plant foods (whole grains, nuts, leafy vegetables, tea). The only documented cases are experimental depletion studies or prolonged TPN without supplementation [1].
What is manganism? ▼
Manganism is a neurotoxic syndrome caused by chronic inhalation of manganese dust or fumes — primarily affecting welders, miners, and battery factory workers [3]. Symptoms resemble Parkinson disease (rigidity, tremor, gait problems) but affect different brain structures and do NOT respond to levodopa.
Should I supplement manganese? ▼
Almost never needed. The AI (1.8–2.3 mg/day) is easily met by diet. Multivitamins typically contain 1–2 mg, which is appropriate. Do not take standalone manganese supplements unless directed by a physician for a specific indication [1].
Can too much manganese from diet be harmful? ▼
Dietary manganese toxicity is extremely unlikely in healthy individuals due to low absorption (~5%) and efficient biliary excretion. However, patients with liver disease (impaired biliary clearance) are at risk, as are infants (immature excretory mechanisms) [3].
4 Clinical evidence
Strong
Essential cofactor role for MnSOD (mitochondrial antioxidant defense) — one of the most critical antioxidant enzymes in human biology [1]. Structural role in bone and cartilage formation via glycosyltransferases [1]. Treatment of manganism (occupational manganese neurotoxicity) requires removal from exposure [3]. HIGH
Moderate
Bone health: manganese combined with calcium, zinc, and copper improved bone density in a trial of postmenopausal women [2]. Wound healing: manganese is required for collagen formation through proline hydroxylation [2]. MODERATE
Insufficient
Diabetes management: manganese-dependent pyruvate carboxylase and MnSOD play roles in glucose metabolism, but interventional data are lacking [2]. Epilepsy: low manganese levels reported in epilepsy patients, but supplementation trials are absent [2]. Osteoarthritis: theoretical benefit through cartilage synthesis support [2]. LOW
5 Safety, toxicity & adverse events
Absolute contraindications
✕ Chronic liver disease (cirrhosis) — manganese is excreted via bile; liver failure causes accumulation and neurotoxicity
Relative
⚠ Iron deficiency — increases manganese absorption (shared DMT1 transporter), raising neurotoxicity risk
⚠ TPN patients — IV manganese bypasses GI regulation; monitor whole blood levels
🚩 Red flags
● Parkinsonism in a welder/miner — suspect manganism; order brain MRI and blood manganese [3]
● Liver cirrhosis patient with new neuropsychiatric symptoms — check manganese levels [3]
● TPN patient with irritability and movement disorder — manganese accumulation from TPN formulation [3]
6 Interactions
Drug interactions
Iron supplements Moderate
Mechanism: Iron and manganese share the divalent metal transporter-1 (DMT-1). High-dose iron reduces manganese absorption and vice versa. [2]
Effect: Reduced manganese absorption during iron supplementation. Increased manganese absorption in iron deficiency. [2]
Action: Separate iron and manganese supplements by 2 hours if both are needed [2].
Supplement synergies
Calcium + zinc + copper · Per individual mineral RDA/AI
The combination of manganese, calcium, zinc, and copper improved bone density in a trial of postmenopausal women [2].
The combination of manganese, calcium, zinc, and copper improved bone density in a trial of postmenopausal women [2].
7 Regulatory
United States (FDA): Classified as a dietary supplement. UL: 11 mg/day for adults. No mandatory fortification [1].
European Union (EFSA): Authorized health claims for energy metabolism, bone maintenance, connective tissue formation, and cell protection from oxidative stress [5]. No UL established by EFSA (insufficient data).
Japan (MHLW): Adequate intake: 4.0 mg/day for adult males. Upper limit: 11 mg/day.
South Korea (MFDS): Registered health functional food ingredient. Approved claims: energy metabolism.
8 US supplement products
1,887
on-market products containing Manganese (NIH DSLD)
Brands carrying Manganese (421)
Click a brand to see its Manganese products.
9 Frequently paired with
10 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. Manganese — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Jul 15]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/ingredients/manganese/
APA 7th: Pkhakadze, G. (2026). Manganese — Safety profile. Public Health Institute of Georgia. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/manganese/
📋 Editorial information
Author: Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Institution: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: January 2027
References: 5 cited sources
COI: SupplementIndex receives no funding from supplement manufacturers. All content independently authored by PHIG.
Process: Systematic literature review
📄 License & reuse
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Pkhakadze G. "Manganese — Safety Profile." SupplementIndex, PHIG, 2026. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/manganese/ CC BY 4.0.
GP
Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Public Health · Head of Department, DTMU
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (ISSN 3088-4322)
Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia · UEMS Public Health Section
Educational and public health purposes. CC BY 4.0. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Corrections: info@accreditation.ge. Publisher: PHIG