Manganese Cautions
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General warnings and precautions
Certain people should not take iron supplements at all:
- Newborn babies
- People with anaemia
The brain of newborn babies is more susceptible to manganese toxicity due to their rapidly developing nerve cells and the immaturity of the liver's bile elimination system.
People that have anaemia, especially iron-deficient anaemia should not take manganese supplements as they will continue to reduce iron levels in the body and cause an exacerbation of the anaemia.
Certain people should not take manganese supplements without first consulting their doctor for advice:
- People with any type of liver or kidney disease
- People who are iron deficient
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
People with the above conditions should get advice from their medical doctor before starting supplements to manganese supplementation does not conflict adversely with their condition.
Toxic Levels of Manganese
Manganese is toxic at levels higher than 1000mg (1 gram).
Certain people should not take iron supplements at all - newborn babies and people with anaemia
Overdosage and Toxicity Symptoms - Acute toxicity
Acute toxicity from taking too much in manganese supplements - over 1000mg can cause the following symptoms:
- Breathing problems*
- Impotence
- Muscle fatigue
- Weight loss
* People who experience the highlighted symptoms should seek immediate emergency treatment.
Overdosage and Toxicity Symptoms - Chronic toxicity
Chronic toxicity of iron from taking higher than the therapeutic dose of supplements for a long time can cause the following symptoms:
- Anaemia (lowered iron levels)
- Confusion
- Delusions
- Depression
- Hallucinations
- Headaches
- High blood pressure
- Impotence
- Insomnia
- Liver cirrhosis
- Memory problems
- Parkinson's disease (Parkinson-like symptoms)*
- Slurred speech
- Tremors
People who experience any of the above toxicity symptoms should discontinue their manganese supplements and see their doctor for advice.
Overdosage and toxicity is more likely to occur from taking too many supplements, whereas dietary intake of manganese is highly unlikely to cause overdosage.
* Parkinson's disease is a health condition in which high levels of manganese (as well as other minerals) could be an underlying component in its development.