MANGANESE

Trace mineral symptoms of excess or deficiency are generally one-sided, depending on their ratios to
 
other chemical members, and depending which group they are neurologically assigned to.  In the event
 
of calcification, it is not a high calcium level that results in the formation of a stone or spur, but calcium
 
being high in ratio to associated or interactive elements.
 
For instance, phosphorus and zinc have both left-sided cell receptors, so if either level is low in ratio
 
to calcium, calcification would only take place on the left side of the body, whereas the cell receptors of
 
manganese or magnesium are right-sided, as a result, any calcification would develop on the right side
 
of the body only.
 
The same rules apply to most nutrition-related inflammatory or degenerative conditions, so successful,
 non-symptomatic treatments require the application of those same principles.  Since intracellular and
serum levels of nutrients represent different physiological and pathological processes, abnormal levels
seen in one medium are not necessarily reflected in the other, so they need to be interpreted differently.
 

 
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Iron & Manganese:  Both elements share left-right-sided cell receptors and are considered essential
 
to human health.  As is the case with all other associated mineral pairs, the absorption of iron (Fe) is
 
dependent on manganese (Mn), however with manganese being frequently lower than iron, and since
iron can provoke a number of problems when supplemented (constipation, gastric upset), the addition
of manganese, when low also, is vitally important.  This not only prevents further ratio conflicts between
 
the two, but also substantially reduces the amount of iron needed when manganese is supplemented
 
at the same time.
 
While some sources claim that manganese lowers iron levels, this is mostly a theoretical consideration
 
that would only happen under unusual circumstances.  In actual clinical settings, I have not seen a single
 
incidence of a patient's iron (ferritin) levels decline as a result of taking manganese, even when doses
as high as 150mg per day were supplemented on an ongoing basis.  In fact, most minor iron-deficiency
 
situations can be dealt with by using manganese alone - without any iron - which reduces any possible
 
adverse effects that can be part of routine iron supplementation.
 

 
In contrast to Acu-Cell Analysis, routine blood tests do not include manganese measurements, but use
 
a number of iron determinations alone, none of which are very reliable to assess true iron requirements
 
in a patient, with only ferritin levels being more accurate and being closest to actual intracellular values.
 
Consequently, patients are given far too many false positive and false negative recommendations
 
to supplement iron, to the detriment of the patient.  Pregnant women are a most vulnerable target for
either insufficient, or excessive iron supplementation, with the latter being able to trigger 'toxemia of
pregnancy' (high iron causes excessive sodium retention), and in which case higher amounts of folic
acid should have been given instead.
 

 
Likewise, blood loss, or malabsorption are considered to be the main causes for low iron after ruling
out any of a number of blood disorders, however low iron can very easily result from manganese levels
having been low for a long period of time, or from other elements such as calcium, zinc, or magnesium
reducing normal iron values.  Cellular levels of iron best correspond to actual symptoms of excess or
deficiency, in contrast to blood levels, which unfortunately fluctuate considerably under various medical
 
conditions, particularly with infections.  Following are some iron and manganese interactions with other
trace minerals:
 
  Graph1 - iron and manganese / mineral interactions
 
There is a synergism between Cobalt + Vit B12 + Manganese, and between Nickel + Vit C + iron, and
there are some other minor interactions between iron + manganese, and for instance copper, iodine,
 
chromium, and others, but they are less specific since they depend on the total chemical profile, or they
 
can go either way, which in the case of copper can either help, or inhibit iron or manganese absorption.
 
There is also a synergistic and antagonistic interaction between iron + manganese and a number of
 
other nutrients, particularly B-vitamins, however these interactions will change under various medical
situations.  For instances, with kidney disease, a fine balance needs to be maintained between folate
 
and iron levels since one will otherwise inhibit the other; the same applies with adrenal disturbances,
 
except they will affect the balance between iron and Vitamin B1 (thiamine).
 
  Graph2 - iron and manganese / vitamin interactions
 
Stomach acid levels heavily interact synergistically with iron and manganese, whereby the absorption
 
of both minerals is enhanced by higher HCl acid levels, and likewise, an increase in iron or manganese
 
will generally - but not always - result in raised stomach acid levels.  Since calcium and magnesium
have the exact opposite effect on stomach acid levels, their interaction with iron and manganese have
 
a major impact on medical conditions that are associated with raised or lowered stomach acid levels
 
(see also Acu-Cell "Calcium & Magnesium").
 

 
Many left-sided cancers develop in the presence of upper stomach acid levels being low, next to low
 
iron and/or high calcium, - while many right-sided cancers develop in the presence of lower stomach
 
acid levels being low, next to low manganese and/or high magnesium.
 
Initially though, excessive iron and/or manganese levels may have set the stage for cancer - perhaps
 
as much as 10 or 20 years earlier - subsequent to a number of factors that may have influenced liver
 
chemistry such as excessive intake of Tylenol, alcohol, estrogen therapy, antifungal drugs, conditions
such as hepatitis, or inherited liver disease.  All these can result in higher manganese and/or iron liver
storage, regardless of actual manganese or iron consumption.
 

 
By the time cancer develops however, most patients don't exhibit excessive liver storage of iron and/or
 
manganese any longer.  In fact, along with lowered stomach acid levels, manganese or iron levels have
 
usually dropped to well below normal, which sometimes coincides with a decline in perimenopausal or
postmenopausal estrogen levels in females.  After following patients with a similar history over more
 
than two decades, it appears that if liver functions are normalized in time (as part of normalizing or
 
raising stomach acid levels), on average, no cancers develop. (see also Acu-Cell Disorders "Cancer").
 

 
The primary function of iron in the body is the formation of hemoglobin, the essential oxygen-carrying
 
component of the red blood cell (RBC).  In combination with protein, iron is carried in the blood to the
 
bone marrow, where with the help of copper, it forms hemoglobin.  Red blood cells pick up oxygen from
 
the lungs and distribute it to the rest of the tissues, all of which need oxygen to survive.  Iron absorbed
into the blood is usually bound to the protein transferrin and goes mainly to the bone marrow, where it
 
can be used to make red blood cells.
 
Myoglobin is a red, iron-containing protein, which stores oxygen for muscle contraction.  There is about
 
3 to 5 gm of iron in the body, of which hemoglobin represents 65%, while about 30% occurs as ferritin,
 
which is the iron storage complex found in the liver, spleen and bone marrow.  Neutrophils (white blood
 
cells) depend on iron to help generate superoxide to function as a bacteria-destroying agent, whereby
inadequate iron levels reduces the effectiveness of the immune system.  With severe iron deficiency,
 
hemoglobin levels decline and the packed volume of red blood cells, the hematocrit, declines.
 

 
Heme Iron from meat is about 10 times more absorbable than iron from all plant / vegetable sources.
 
Many vegans have trouble obtaining sufficient iron from the diet alone since phytates present in whole
 
grains and oxalates found in certain vegetables may bind to some of the iron and reduce absorption.
 
Iron deficiency is more common during infancy, childhood, adolescence, pregnancy, menstruation,
chronic infections, low stomach acid (sometimes from low salt intake), chronic diarrhea, bleeding, or
impaired absorption (celiac disease).  The elderly may become iron deficient due to poorer absorption
 
and inadequate dietary intake of iron.  Vitamin C also helps iron absorption.
 

 
Iron Toxicity (excessive organ storage of iron) and/or high blood levels of iron are associated with
 
increased risk of free radical damage and cancer.  Ferritin levels are a good indication of iron storage
levels.  While a normal value is 15-200mcg, levels below 15mcg suggests very depleted iron reserves,
and high ferritin (over 200mcg) can be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.  Free radicals formed
 
as a result of high iron can attack low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and subsequently lead to fatty plaque
 
buildup, damage to the walls of arteries, as well as heart muscle tissue.
 

 
Iron supplements frequently cause constipation or stomach complaints, which may result from the use
 
of ferrous sulfate, or similar hard-to-digest forms of iron.  Other types of iron such as ferrous gluconate,
 
ferrous fumarate, or ideally chelated iron supplements are generally better tolerated, and there are also
 
water-soluble iron products that are probably the easiest on the system and cause less of these effects.
 

 
Manganese is a much neglected, but extremely important mineral when trying to stabilize blood sugar,
particularly with hypoglycemic individuals, and for lowering total cholesterol (cholesterol-lowering drugs
actually raise manganese).  It has strong estrogenic properties, and as a result is the most important
element when nutritionally treating menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, and postpartum depression,
 
for which manganese, along with Vitamin B1, is most effective.
 
Just like iron, manganese can be helpful with some types of asthma, where lung capacity measurably
increases proportional to manganese intake.  Extra supplementation of manganese may be helpful in
 
some cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, deafness, epilepsy, infertility, and lack of libido in both sexes.
 
In addition, individuals who regularly dislocate joints (particularly knee joints), frequently present with
 
insufficient cellular manganese levels, so normalizing manganese in those cases will permanently
 resolve that problem.
 

 
Manganese is important to many enzyme systems such as protein metabolism, bone formation, and
 
the synthesis of L-dopamine and cholesterol, as well as carbohydrate metabolism, where it is required
 
for the synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate substances (gluconeogenesis).  As a cofactor in
 
glycolysis, manganese aids glucose metabolism.
 
It is also needed for normal brain and muscle function, blood clotting, and DNA and RNA synthesis,
 
and it activates the enzyme responsible for the formation of urea.  Manganese may help with some
 
symptoms of Parkinson's disease such as muscle rigidity and twitching, although an excessive level
 
of manganese can in itself produce Parkinsonian syndrome from a loss of dopamine in the brain cells.
 
L-dopa, which converts to dopamine in the brain, is used in the treatment of manganese toxicity to
 
reduce the symptoms.  High levels of manganese can produce violence and other mental changes,
 
including a psychiatric disorder resembling schizophrenia.
 

 
When people supplement certain herbs to "cleanse" their liver, they will always affect manganese and
 
iron status.  For instance, by taking Devil's Claw on an ongoing basis, they will eventually raise iron and
manganese levels.  On the other hand, taking Milk Thistle will in time decrease iron and manganese
 
stores, which can be an advantage with hemochromatosis (excess iron storage disease), where regular
 
consumption of milk thistle, RNA / DNA, magnesium and Vitamin B2 - whichever ones are individually
indicated - will keep iron levels closer to normal, and frequently eliminate the need for phlebotomies.  ¤
 

 
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Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is the latest term replacing daily dietary reference values such as
 
Adequate Intake (AI),  Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL),  Estimated Average Requirements (EAR),
 
Nutrient Reference Value (NRV),  and Recommended Dietary Allowance / Intake  (RDA / RDI).
 

 
Iron:Manganese:
 

 
DRI (RDA):DRI (RDA):
 
0-6 months10mg0-6 months0.5-0.7mg
 
6-12 months15mg6-12 months0.7-1.0mg
 
1-10 years10-15mg1-10 years1-3mg+
 
11-18 years10-18mg+11-18 years3-5mg+
 
18 years +males10mg+18 years +4-10mg+
 
18 years +females18mg+
 
50 years +females10mg+
 

 
pregnant / lactating+ 30-60mgpregnant / lactating+ 3mg
 

 
Therapeutic Range:10mg - 900mg+Therapeutic Range:15mg - 200mg
 
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Cellular / Intracellular Effects and Interactions:
 

 
Iron Synergists:Manganese Synergists:
 
Phosphorus, bismuth, germanium,nickel,Sodium, lithium, silicon / silica, cobalt,
 
manganese, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C,PABA, niacin / niacinamide, Vitamin E,
 
folate, niacin, niacinamide, lecithin, protein,biotin, choline, sugar,* alcohol,*
 

 
Iron Antagonists:Manganese Antagonists:
 
Zinc, calcium, magnesium, tin, cobalt, Vitamin B2,Potassium, magnesium, calcium, iodine,
 
Vitamin B5, Vitamin B12, Vitamin E, caffeine,nickel, boron, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6,
 
insoluble fiber, rice (phytates), tea (tannic acid),Vitamin B15, Vitamin C, [iron],
 
soy protein, dairy (casein), oxalic acid, [folate],sugar,* alcohol,*
 

 
* These can have synergistic or antagonistic action, depending on hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic
   tendencies.
 

 
Low Levels / Deficiency - Symptoms and/or Risk Factors:
 

 
Iron:Manganese:
 
Fatigue, anemia, depression, dizziness, asthma,Fatigue, depression, hypoglycemia / low blood
 
gastrointestinal disorders, pale skin, miscarriage,sugar, joint dislocations (particularly knees),
 
amenorrhea (failure to menstruate), dysmenorrheahigh cholesterol, asthma, migraine-headaches,
 
(painful periods), migraine-headaches, Ménière'sosteoporosis, gastrointestinal disorders, PMS,
 
disease, learning difficulties, weak immune system,infrequent menstrual cycles, ovarian cysts,
 
ovarian cysts,
 

 
High levels / Overdose / Toxicity / Negative Side Effects - Symptoms and/or Risk Factors:
 

 
Iron:Manganese:
 
Hemochromatosis, migraine-headaches, arthritis,Migraine-headaches, PMS, frequent menstrual
 
high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease,cycles, muscle tremors, dizziness, depression,
dizziness, gastrointestinal disorders, nausea,mental illness, liver disease, higher risk for
 
higher risk for several cancers, fibroid tumors,several cancers, fibroid tumors, endometriosis,
 
benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), edema,insomnia, osteoporosis, edema, hypothyroid,
 
constipation (high supplementation), nausea, colitis,
 
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Iron Sources:Manganese Sources:
 
Meat, fish, shellfish, nuts, seeds, eggs, molasses,Nuts, seeds, whole-grain products, wheat
 
wheat germ, whole-grain products, raisins, beans,germ, seaweed, beans, peas, ginger, coffee. ¤
 

 
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General recommendations for nutritional supplementation:  To avoid stomach problems and promote
 
better tolerance, supplements should always be taken earlier, or in the middle of a larger meal.  When
 
taken on an empty stomach or after a meal, there is a greater risk of some tablets causing irritation, or
eventually erosion of the esophageal sphincter, resulting in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).
 
It is also advisable not to lie down immediately after taking any pills.
 
When taking a very large daily amount of a single nutrient, it is better to split it up into smaller doses to
 
not interfere with the absorption of other nutrients in food, or nutrients supplemented at lower amounts.
 

 
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