What are the symptoms of too much manganese?

Author: Prof. Hermann Bergnaum Sr.  |  Last update: Monday, April 7, 2025

Although not all individuals develop identical signs, the most common are a slow and clumsy gait, speech disturbances, a masklike face, and tremors. The neurological symptoms may improve when exposure ceases; however, in most cases, the symptoms are found to persist for many years post-exposure.

How does the body get rid of manganese?

The primary route of Mn elimination is via the fecal hepatobiliary excretion with limited urinary excretion [72]. Some Mn-containing molecules such as Mn-DPDP and Mn nanoparticles show different elimination patterns from the metal Mn [73–75]. Mn is also eliminated in milk as mentioned above.

What is the primary symptom of manganese toxicity?

Symptoms include headache, insomnia, memory loss, emotional instability, hyperreflexia, dystonia, tremor, speech disturbances, and gait abnormalities. Individual factors like age, gender, genetics, and pre-existing medical conditions appear to have a profound impact on manganese toxicity.

What happens when you have too much manganese in your body?

The symptoms of manganese toxicity include tremors, muscle spasms, hearing problems, mania, insomnia, depression, loss of appetite, headaches, irritability, weakness, and mood changes.

Do you pee out excess manganese?

The body maintains stable tissue manganese concentrations through regulatory control of manganese absorption and excretion [5]. More than 90% of absorbed manganese is excreted via bile into the feces, and a small amount is reabsorbed [1,2,4,5]. Very little is excreted in urine.

Manganese Deficiency & Toxicity Symptoms

How do you flush manganese out?

Ways homeowners can remove manganese in their drinking water at home
  1. Use of a carbon filter rated to remove manganese at 150 ug/L to levels below 100 ug/L.
  2. Use of distilled water or a distillation system.
  3. A water filtration system rated to remove manganese at 150 ug/L to levels below 100 ug/L.

How do you detox your body from manganese?

If you suspect that you have been exposed to toxic levels of manganese, seek medical attention as soon as possible and follow your doctor's instructions. Substances that help with manganese toxicity include antioxidants, plant extracts, chelating agents, precursors of glutathione (GSH), and synthetic compounds [21].

What blocks manganese absorption?

Antacids -- Magnesium-containing antacids may decrease the absorption of manganese if taken together. Take supplements containing manganese at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after taking antacids. Laxatives -- Magnesium containing laxatives may decrease the absorption of manganese if taken together.

What destroys manganese?

The removal of dissolved manganese from water requires a strong catalyst such as Katalox-Light® to handle pH and an oxidant such as OXYDES, Chlorine or Hydrogen peroxide. Manganese precipitates out faster with higher pH-values and greater concentration of oxidant.

What is the disease associated with manganese?

In addition, several human diseases have been reported to be associated to low blood Mn concentrations, including epilepsy, Mseleni disease, Down's syndrome, osteoporosis, and Perthest disease [35], nevertheless, the role of Mn deficiency in these diseases remains unclear.

Can you reverse manganese toxicity?

Manganese poisoning is treated by removing the exposed person from the source of exposure. There is not enough data to know if nervous system damage caused by long-term exposure can be reversed.

What does manganese do for skin?

Manganese is required for the activation of prolidase, an enzyme that functions to provide the amino acid, proline, for collagen formation in human skin cells (8).

What neutralizes manganese?

Removing Manganese with a Filter

In most cases, an oxidizer like chlorine, air, ozone, or potassium permanganate is used as a pretreatment to filtration. Amendment of pH is also often needed.

Does manganese build up in the body?

Manganese can build up and cause side effects. If you have liver disease, be careful not to get too much manganese. Iron-deficiency anemia: People with iron-deficiency anemia seem to absorb more manganese than other people. If you have this condition, be careful not to get too much manganese.

How to fix manganese toxicity?

Treatment with avoidance of further exposure, systemic chelators, and vitamin and nutritional supplementation will then ensure, likely in consultation with neurology and toxicology services. The prognosis for patients exposed to Mn is generally favorable among the few studies recorded.

What are the symptoms of manganese overload?

Manganese toxicity can result in a permanent neurological disorder known as manganism with symptoms that include tremors, difficulty walking, and facial muscle spasms. These symptoms are often preceded by other lesser symptoms, including irritability, aggressiveness, and hallucinations.

What food has the most manganese?

Foods With Manganese
  • Mussels. Many types of shellfish have high manganese levels. ...
  • Brown Rice. Compared to white rice, brown rice is much higher in nutrients like fiber, potassium, and some B vitamins. ...
  • Hazelnuts. ...
  • Chickpeas. ...
  • Spinach. ...
  • Pineapple. ...
  • Whole Wheat Bread. ...
  • BlackTea.

Does alcohol deplete manganese?

5.4.

This study reported significantly lower levels of manganese in the bone tissue of patients suffering from alcoholic disease. Since appropriate levels of manganese are required for normal bone growth, as it is a cofactor of a number of essential enzymes, both the bone mass and bone synthesis were affected.

What does manganese do to your brain?

The consequences of Mn overexposure occur throughout the nervous system and can affect both motor function and higher-order cognitive functions. Motor control is disrupted via disruption of dopaminergic (DAergic) function (7). This includes clinical expression of parkinsonism in occupationally exposed workers (8, 9).

How do you flush metal out of your body?

Treatment could include:
  1. Taking chelating agents to remove toxic metals from your body through your urine.
  2. Pumping your stomach (gastric lavage).
  3. Hemodialysis for kidney failure.
  4. Medicines to treat symptoms.

How long does it take for manganese to leave the body?

Most people get all the manganese they need from their diet. Foods like beans, nuts, and grains can be rich in manganese. Normal levels of manganese will leave a healthy person's body through their feces after a few days.

How do you tell if you need magnesium?

What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency?
  • low appetite.
  • nausea and vomiting.
  • fatigue and weakness.
  • muscle spasms or tremors.
  • abnormal heart rhythms.

What appears as symptoms of manganese toxicity may actually be the deficiency symptoms of?

It also inhibits calcium transport to shoot apex. Thus, what appears as symptoms of manganese toxicity may actually be the deficiency symptoms of iron, magnesium and calcium.

How to remove manganese from body?

Once in your body, manganese-containing chemicals can break down into other chemicals. However, manganese is an element that cannot be broken down. Most manganese will leave your body in feces within a few days.

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