Roll Call

“Manganese?”Here!

Mineral

Hasn’t appeared in a scanned product yet.

As a supplement

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Roll Call does not check drug interactions or assess personal safety.

Manganese is a trace mineral that acts as a cofactor for enzymes involved in bone formation, metabolism, and antioxidant defense.

Why it’s used

Taken to meet daily manganese requirements, generally as part of a general multivitamin-mineral formulation rather than for a specific targeted effect.

What the evidence says

NIH ODS describes manganese as essential, with deficiency rarely observed since it is present in many common foods. There is limited controlled trial evidence examining benefits of manganese supplementation above dietary levels in the general population.

Dose studied

1.8–11 mg — adult adequate intake up to tolerable upper intake level, per NIH ODS.

Context

Adult adequate intake levels are set around 1.8 to 2.3 mg per day, with a tolerable upper intake level of 11 mg per day.

Rumors

  1. Manganese improves brain function.

    Not gradedhealth and safety evidence

    Sources cited — no verdict reached.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Emergen-C — a brand: sells vitamin C immune-support dietary supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “Emergen-C has always been committed to giving back.” (their page)
      • “That’s why Emergen-C products contain a powerful blend of nutrients to support your immune system.” (their page)

  2. Manganese supplements build strong, healthy bones.

    Not gradedhealth and safety evidence

    Sources cited — no verdict reached.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Emergen-C — a brand: sells vitamin C immune-support dietary supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “Emergen-C has always been committed to giving back.” (their page)
      • “That’s why Emergen-C products contain a powerful blend of nutrients to support your immune system.” (their page)

  3. Manganese supplements help people with diabetes control blood sugar by boosting insulin production.

    Not gradedhealth and safety evidence

    No sources cited yet.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Diabetic Sock Club — a brand: makes and sells non-binding diabetic socks and compression socks
      How we know who this is
      • “Diabetic Sock Club (DSC) makes non-binding diabetic socks and compression socks for men and women, knit in Alabama, USA.” (their page)

  4. Manganese supplements provide antioxidant protection.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Medical News Today — a publisher: health information; trademark of Healthline Media, an RVO Health company
      How we know who this is
      • “The Medical News Today team is committed to bringing you accurate, trustworthy, and unbiased health information.” (their page)
      • “Healthline Media is an RVO Health Company.” (their page)

  5. The extra manganese in multivitamins can be neurotoxic.

    Supports — suggestivehealth and safety evidence

    Studied in: children exposed to manganese via multivitamin/mineral supplements.

    Measured as an outcome.

    Who’s saying this

    • LessWrong — a platform — posts are by its users: forum focused on rationality; team motivated by making powerful AI outcomes good
      How we know who this is
      • “LessWrong is an online forum and community dedicated to improving human reasoning and decision-making.” (their page)
      • “For several reasons, LessWrong is a website and community with a strong interest in AI and specifically causing powerful AI systems to be safe and beneficial.” (their page)

How much is a reference amount

  • 1.8 mg a dayfor adults 19 and over, women · Adequate Intake

    Upper limit 11 mg a day, from food and supplements together.

  • 2.3 mg a dayfor adults 19 and over, men · Adequate Intake

    Upper limit 11 mg a day, from food and supplements together.

Every applicable line is shown because we don’t know which one is yours, and a reference intake is a target for a population, not a threshold for harm.