Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, Molybdenum and Nickel

Zinc and manganese are present in all living tissues. Most human diets contain 10 to 15 mg of each metal per day.

Manganese helps assist iron in oxygenation of the blood and formation of hemoglobin. While zinc plays a critical role in the immune system, liver, pancreas, sexual fluids and skin.

Both metals are important components of a number of enzyme systems. Dietary deficiency of either zinc or manganese is uncommon because of their ubiquity in foods.

A deficiency in zinc has been attributed to dwarfism, gonadal atrophy, and possible damage to the immune system.

Zinc is needed to produce an active form of vitamin A, retinal which is used in visual pigments, Zinc also needed by the retinol-binding protein that transports vitamin A.

A deficiency of manganese in experimental animals resulted in bone disorders, sexual sterility, abnormal lipid metabolism, and even toxicity.

Other sign of manganese deficiency included growth and reproduction as well as alteration in carbohydrate metabolism, and impaired glucose tolerance.

Selenium, molybdenum and nickel are all found in trace amounts in the body. Selenium helps depress the symptoms of vitamin E deficiency, as well as muscular dystrophy in animals.

Nickel has a role in physiological functions. Small amounts of nickel are useful in certain bodily functions. For example minute amounts of nickel are important in DNA and RNA stabilization.

Molybdenum/copper balance can be restored by treatment with sulfur. Molybdenum is an essential cofactor for three enzymes sulphite oxidase, xanthine oxidase and aldehydes oxidase. Sulphite oxidase is essential for the hepatic metabolism of sulphur-containing molecules such as cysteine and the formation of taurine.

Deficiencies of these metals are not common for humans.
Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, Molybdenum and Nickel