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Even though molybdenum is found in the human body, it's not a very well-known element but has many health benefits.
The human body requires 13 vitamins and 16 minerals to develop, heal and operate. Food, supplements or a combination of the two are well-known sources of these nutrients.
Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E and K are the 13 necessary vitamins. The 16 necessary minerals can be separated into trace minerals, which are needed in lesser amounts in diet, and macro minerals, which are needed in larger proportions.
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The body needs molybdenum, a mineral that's important but only in trace levels, to function. For adults, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for molybdenum is 45 mcg; for pregnant women and nursing mothers, it's 50 mcg. Accordingly, the body requires 45–50 mcg daily to meet its daily demands.
Because such a small amount of molybdenum is required by the body, only extreme starvation or genetic mutations result in molybdenum deficiency.
Molybdenum has a daily upper limit (UL) of 2000 mcg. Accordingly, a person can safely ingest up to 2000 mcg of molybdenum per day. If more is ingested, blood uric acid levels will rise abnormally, leading to gouts.
Consuming too much molybdenum is uncommon but can happen if the soil is overly contaminated with it or if a person works in an industry, like mining or metalworking, where they're exposed to it.
How is Molybdenum Beneficial for Health?
A wide range of foods, including meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, shellfish, legumes, vegetables, fruits and grains contain molybdenum. The main way molybdenum contributes to good health is as an enzyme cofactor, where it is changed into the molybdenum cofactor or Moco.
Here’s a list of six benefits obtained by consuming molybdenum:
1) Prevents tooth decay
The enamel of the teeth contains a number of trace elements, including molybdenum. An enhanced rate of mineral repair has been observed in cow teeth treated with fluoride that also included molybdenum, resulting in faster healing of cavities.
2) May prevent oesophageal and rectal cancer
There is some evidence suggesting a connection between low soil molybdenum levels and prevalence of specific malignancies.
Examples include the possibility of a link between populations inhabiting molybdenum-deficient soil and increased esophageal cancer rates. According to a Japanese study, regions with low molybdenum levels may have higher rates of esophageal and rectal cancer in women.
However, there's currently no proof to support claims that consuming molybdenum leads to cancer. There's little experimental evidence to support the association between low molybdenum levels in soil and cancer rates.
3) May treat sulphite sensitivity
Sulphites are sulphur-containing compounds employed as preservatives, antioxidants and anti-browning agents in the food industry. Food and beverages high in sulphites can make people sensitive to sulphites.
Sensitivity symptoms might include wheezing, nausea, hives, and in certain situations, they can even be fatal.
Sulphite oxidase, which changes from sulphite to sulphate, can be reduced by a molybdenum shortage. Sulphite may accumulate as a result, which theoretically might result in sulphite sensitivity.
The use of molybdenum for sulphite sensitivity hasn't been studied, so it's unclear if supplementation offers any benefits.
4) Antioxidant protection
Another cofactor for the enzyme xanthine oxidase is molybdenum (XO). XO is in charge of absorbing two molecules, hypoxanthine and xanthine, and aiding in their conversion to uric acid (UA).
You may have heard of XO and UA in relation to the medical ailment known as 'gout', in which UA crystals accumulate in the joints and cause discomfort.
Medicines used to treat this illness frequently function by preventing XO activity. While it's true some people can experience negative effects from having too much uric acid, we can benefit greatly from having healthy levels of uric acid.
Currently, it's unknown if dietary molybdenum insufficiency may cause issues with UA formation accompanied by a higher risk of disease, as there's a dearth of study in this area.
However, based on what we know about the fundamental science in this field, molybdenum is probably responsible for maintaining the correct XO function and a balanced UA production, protecting us from free radical damage.
5) Nervous system metabolism
Molybdenum is known to be a cofactor for the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ADH). That suggests it likely plays a significant role in the metabolism of the nervous system, particularly the metabolism of the neurotransmitters adrenaline, norepinephrine, serotonin and melatonin.
The neurotransmitters must be broken down by the ADH enzyme. The rate at which these molecules are broken down directly correlates with their rate of synthesis and availability for the nervous system function.
6) Formation of protein
It's also known that molybdenum is necessary for the development of special proteins known as amidoxime reduction component proteins or mARC. The mitochondrial function of these proteins is crucial.
However, we're far from drawing any useful conclusions between dietary molybdenum consumption and mitochondrial function, as research in this area is still in its infancy.
