Is Manganese safe?

Introduction

Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element required for various biological processes, including enzymatic reactions and antioxidant functions. However, excessive exposure to manganese can lead to toxicity, particularly affecting the nervous system. This synthesis examines the safety of manganese based on findings from multiple research studies.

Key Insights

Neurotoxicity and Cognitive Impairment:
- Excessive manganese exposure, particularly through inhalation in occupational settings, can lead to neurodegenerative disorders similar to Parkinson's disease, known as manganism. This condition is characterized by symptoms such as dystonia, bradykinesia, and cognitive impairments .
- Children exposed to high levels of manganese in drinking water show decreased intellectual function, lower cognitive performance, and poorer school performance .
Occupational and Environmental Exposure:
- Chronic exposure to manganese-laden dust in industrial settings can cause neuropsychological changes, including irritability, loss of equilibrium, and motor function impairments .
- Environmental exposure to manganese, such as through contaminated drinking water, poses a risk of neurotoxicity, particularly in children, even at levels considered safe by some standards .
Prenatal and Neonatal Effects:
- Higher prenatal manganese exposure is associated with a higher prevalence of high ponderal index (HPI) in neonates, indicating potential adverse effects on neonatal growth.
Mechanisms of Toxicity:
- Manganese toxicity is linked to its accumulation in the brain, particularly in the basal ganglia, leading to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction .
- Disturbances in iron homeostasis and the valence state of manganese are also implicated in its neurotoxic effects.
Safety Thresholds and Treatment:
- The estimated safe upper limit of intracellular manganese for physiological function is narrow, and intake above this range can lead to significant health issues, particularly affecting the nervous system.
- Current treatment options for manganese toxicity, such as chelation therapy with EDTA and supplementation with levodopa, are only mildly and transiently effective.

Conclusion

Manganese, while essential in trace amounts, poses significant health risks when exposure levels exceed the narrow safe range. Occupational and environmental exposures, particularly through inhalation and contaminated drinking water, can lead to neurotoxicity and cognitive impairments. Special attention should be given to vulnerable populations, such as children and pregnant women, to mitigate these risks. Effective monitoring and regulation of manganese levels in the environment and workplace are crucial to ensure safety.

Is Manganese safe?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

The impact of manganese on neurotransmitter systems.

Higher manganese intake can negatively impact brain function and negatively impact cognitive functions and locomotion in exposed organisms.

Manganese toxicity upon overexposure

Repeated administration of manganese, or compounds that readily release manganese, may increase the risk of manganese-induced toxicity.

Elevated cord serum manganese level is associated with a neonatal high ponderal index.

Higher prenatal manganese exposure, even at low levels, is associated with a higher prevalence of high ponderal index, and cord serum manganese levels less than 5.0g/L may be considered safe for neonatal ponderal index assessment.

Manganese Neurotoxicity

Manganese neurotoxicity, caused by excessive manganese accumulation in the brain, may be linked to oxidative stress and may cause Parkinson-like symptoms.

Does environmental exposure to manganese pose a health risk to healthy adults?

Environmental exposure to manganese poses no significant health risk for most North American populations due to weak cause-and-effect relationships and limited research.

MANGANESE AS ESSENTIAL AND TOXIC ELEMENT FOR PLANTS: TRANSPORT, ACCUMULATION AND RESISTANCE MECHANISMS

Manganese is essential for plants, but excess can be toxic, with transport and tolerance mechanisms relying on compartmentalization and antioxidative systems.

Long-term exposure to "low levels" of manganese oxides and neurofunctional changes in ferroalloy workers.

Long-term exposure to manganese oxides can cause neurobehavioral effects, such as irritability, loss of equilibrium, and rigidity, and should be limited to levels below 100 micrograms/m3.

Manganese in Drinking Water: Higher Doses May Hamper Intellectual Function.

High doses of manganese in drinking water can negatively impact children's intellectual function, particularly on performance aspects.

Manganese exposure and neurotoxic effects in children

Manganese exposure in drinking water can negatively impact children's cognitive performance, IQ, and performance in school.

Structure-property relationships in manganese oxide--mesoporous silica nanoparticles used for T1-weighted MRI and simultaneous anti-cancer drug delivery.

Manganese oxide/mesoporous silica nanoparticles show potential as a safe, high-performance MRI contrast agent and effective anti-cancer drug delivery vehicle, offering a promising platform for manganese-based theranostics.

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