Mineral ·Moderate evidence ·Reviewed May 2026
Essential trace mineral for bone formation, blood clotting, and metabolism.
The bottom line
Evidence rating moderate. Most-documented uses: bone health, antioxidant defense, blood sugar regulation. 16 sources indexed (2005–2026), with 7 interaction records on file.
Core mechanism
Cofactor for manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), arginase, and pyruvate carboxylase. Essential for glycosaminoglycan synthesis in cartilage.10,7
Take with meals to reduce GI upset6,8
Dosing protocol
Do not over-supplement; chronic excess accumulates in basal ganglia. Many multivitamins already supply enough.8
Ranked by evidence and value.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Manganese Bisglycinate / Gluconate.
Assumes 2-5 mg/day. Vendor basis: NOW/iHerb, Vitacost, Pure Encapsulations, and Amazon marketplace; standalone manganese remains inexpensive. Updated 2026-05-28.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Manganese content varies by grain, nut, tea, and soil source.
What to test, the optimal window inside the conventional range, and how long a response takes.
Oral manganese supplementation modestly raises whole blood Mn. Chronic excess (industrial exposure, parenteral nutrition) can cause neurotoxicity.13,1
Do not over-supplement; manganese accumulates in basal ganglia with chronic excess. Most multivitamins provide adequate amounts.
SLC30A10 mutations cause manganese transport disorder with early neurologic and hepatic phenotypes (PMID 25778823).
Recommendation: Avoid manganese supplementation when manganese transport disease or unexplained manganese elevation is known or suspected.
Iron and manganese compete for shared intestinal absorption pathways, so high-dose iron can reduce manganese uptake, and conversely high manganese intake can blunt iron absorption.
Recommendation: Separate iron and manganese doses by at least 2 hours to limit absorption competition, and take iron with vitamin C to improve its uptake.
High-dose calcium can reduce manganese absorption when taken together, lowering the amount of manganese the body takes up from a given dose.
Recommendation: Separate calcium and manganese by at least 2 hours to avoid reduced manganese absorption, particularly if using high-dose calcium supplements.
Zinc and manganese compete for shared intestinal absorption pathways, so taking high doses together can modestly reduce the absorption of one or both minerals.
Recommendation: Separate zinc and manganese by at least 2 hours when using higher-dose supplements to minimize absorption interference.
Taking a large magnesium dose at the same time as manganese may slightly reduce manganese absorption through general divalent-mineral interference in the gut. The effect is small and mostly relevant only when manganese intake is already marginal or when high magnesium doses (a common scenario, since magnesium is often dosed at 200 to 400 mg) are co-ingested with a manganese supplement.
Recommendation: This pairing is fine for most people, but if you are specifically correcting a manganese shortfall, separate the two by about 2 hours. Take manganese (typically 1 to 2 mg, and rarely above the 11 mg adult upper limit) away from your largest magnesium dose. If you take magnesium at night for sleep, take manganese with a different meal during the day.
Vitamin C is documented to increase absorption of non-heme divalent metals via the DMT1 pathway that manganese also uses. Co-ingesting vitamin C with manganese may slightly increase manganese absorption. This is usually harmless and can even help correct a manganese shortfall, but it is worth noting for anyone trying to keep manganese intake low (for example, people with impaired manganese excretion such as significant liver dysfunction).
Recommendation: No action needed for most people: taking manganese with vitamin C or a vitamin-C-rich meal is acceptable and may aid absorption. If you have liver disease or any reason to limit manganese exposure, avoid pairing manganese with high-dose vitamin C (1,000 mg or more) and keep manganese near the low end (1 to 2 mg).
Manganese can form chelate complexes with fluoroquinolone antibiotics. An in vitro study using a manganese-containing gastrointestinal diagnostic product found complex formation with ciprofloxacin, and human studies with other multivalent mineral cations show reduced ciprofloxacin absorption. Taking manganese near ciprofloxacin could reduce antibiotic exposure and contribute to treatment failure.
Recommendation: Separate manganese supplements from ciprofloxacin by at least 2 hours, and follow any stricter antibiotic instructions from your prescriber or pharmacist. Avoid taking ciprofloxacin with mineral stacks, multivitamins, or antacids. Contact your clinician if infection symptoms worsen or fail to improve.
Levofloxacin can chelate with multivalent cations. PubMed-indexed in vitro work found complex formation between levofloxacin and a manganese-containing gastrointestinal diagnostic drug, while fluoroquinolone reviews and human cation studies support reduced absorption as the clinically important concern. Taking manganese at the same time may reduce levofloxacin exposure.
Recommendation: Separate manganese supplements from levofloxacin by at least 2 hours, and follow any stricter directions on your prescription label. Do not take levofloxacin with mineral blends, multivitamins, or antacids unless your pharmacist confirms the timing. Seek care if infection symptoms persist or worsen.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Ogut E, Ilgin S, Atli Eklioglu O. Manganese Exposure and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-Related Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Review of Human Studies. Journal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology. 2026
Goluch Z, Haraf G. Goose Meat as a Source of Dietary Manganese-A Systematic Review. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI. 2023
Ding J, Zhang Y. Associations of Dietary Copper, Selenium, and Manganese Intake With Depression: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Frontiers in nutrition. 2022
Grochowski C, Blicharska E, Baj J et al.. Serum iron, Magnesium, Copper, and Manganese Levels in Alcoholism: A Systematic Review. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2019
Chakraborty S, Halder S, Halder S. A Review on Chemo Sensors and Fluorosensors for Manganese. Journal of fluorescence. 2025
de Carvalho JF, Martinez ATA. Zinc, Copper, and Manganese Supplementations in Rheumatic Disease: A Narrative Review. Mediterranean journal of rheumatology. 2025
Manganese participates in bone matrix synthesis, inhibition of osteoclast-like cell formation, and antioxidant function via MnSOD; actively involved in bone remodeling by modulating osteoblast and osteoclast activity.
EFSA panel found neurotoxicity is critical effect of manganese excess, but data insufficient to characterize dose-response relationship and identify reference point for manganese-induced neurotoxicity.
Manganese is essential but neurotoxic in excess; brain is particularly susceptible, with excessive exposure causing manganism; balance between essential and toxic levels is critical.
Manganese is cofactor for MnSOD, arginase, and pyruvate carboxylase; essential for glycosaminoglycan synthesis; deficiency linked to skeletal defects and impaired metabolism.
Manganese is a required component for MnSOD responsible for scavenging ROS in mitochondrial oxidative stress; deficiency causes impaired growth, poor bone formation, abnormal glucose tolerance.
Population-based cross-sectional study demonstrated positive association between blood manganese levels and bone mineral density/content in adults.
In a cohort of 1,834 PTB patients, low intake of manganese was associated with severe tuberculosis symptoms as indicated by a high TB score. Low vitamin C and zinc intake were associated with higher treatment failure rates.
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