General Description
Molybdenum is a metallic trace mineral essential in human nutrition.
Used industrially in the strengthening and hardening of steel, molybdenum
is required by the body for the production of certain vital enzymes
including xanthine oxidase (involved in uric acid formation), aldehyde
oxidase (involved in alcohol detoxification), and sulfite oxidase
(involved in sulfite detoxification). Supplemental forms of molybdenum
include sodium molybdate, molybdenum glycinate, and tetrathiomolybdate.
Food sources
The molybdenum content of foods varies with soil molybdenum levels.
Good sources include meats, dairy products, whole grains, legumes,
and dark green leafy vegetables. Hard water may also contain molybdenum.
Health applications
- General nutrition
- Detoxification
- Wilson's disease
Deficiency symptoms
Because molybdenum is found in a wide variety of foods, deficiencies
of the mineral are rare. Cases have been reported in hospital
patients receiving long-term intravenous nutrition, with symptoms
such as headache, mental disturbances, and coma.1
In infants, shortages of molybdenum-dependent enzymes (usually
due to an hereditary disorder) can cause mental retardation, neurological
abnormalities, and eye deformities.1,2
Detoxification
The molybdenum-dependent enzymes are primarily involved in detoxification.
Sulfite oxidase is essential for converting harmful sulfites (found
in many food preservatives and in atmospheric pollutants) to benign
sulfates. Molybdenum inhibits copper absorption and retention,
which may be helpful in cases of copper toxicity such as Wilson's
disease.3-5 Some studies suggest that molybdenum
may have anticancer activity,6,7 but this
remains to be proven.
Dosage/toxicity
The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for molybdenum is 75 micrograms
(mcg) per day. The average daily intake in the U.S. has been estimated
to be between 120 and 240 micrograms per day.8
Over 1,400 micrograms per day have been used in some studies,
with no adverse effects.9,10 Most excess molybdenum
is excreted in the urine, so toxic accumulations are rare. Molybenum
toxicity has been seen in steel workers with high levels of industrial
exposure, with symptoms resembling gout.11
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