Molybdenum: What It Is and Why You Need It

If you’re worried about toxins, a naturally occurring mineral like molybdenum that helps your body break them down might sound like a no-brainer. But there’s no need for you to rush out to buy a molybdenum supplement.

What is molybdenum?

Molybdenum is an essential trace mineral that all humans need. It’s found naturally in the Earth’s outermost layer (crust). As it’s in soil, people consume it through plants and meat in their diet.

This mineral plays a key role in breaking down medications and toxins and allowing your body to process certain materials like proteins.

In most areas of the world, molybdenum deficiency is rare.

“Nearly everyone gets plenty of molybdenum in their diet from foods like dairy products, grains and legumes,” says functional medicine specialist Melissa Young, MD. “You probably don’t need molybdenum supplements, and taking high-dose supplements can be harmful.”

Dr. Young says that toxicity is rare and would typically be found in occupational exposure in miners and metalworkers.

Benefits of molybdenum

When you get enough molybdenum, benefits include more easily:

• Breaking down medications so they don’t build up in your body and cause toxicity.
• Converting sulfites to sulfate. Too much sulfite in your body can cause damage to your brain and nervous system.
• Converting hypoxanthine to uric acid. Hypoxanthine is toxic and can cause harmful DNA mutations (changes) if your body can’t convert it to uric acid.
• Eliminating toxins that interfere with hormonal functions.

Molybdenum isn’t a nutrient that gets a lot of press, but it’s crucial to your health. “Your body contains hundreds of enzymes that carry out different processes, from building new cells and DNA to digestion,” shares Dr. Young. “Molybdenum is one of the minerals humans need to ensure these processes work correctly.”

How much molybdenum do I need per day?

Molybdenum is a trace mineral, meaning you only need tiny amounts to meet your recommended daily allowance (RDA). Other trace minerals include iron, selenium and zinc.

Trace minerals are critical for many aspects of bodily function, like immune function, enzymatic activity, hormone production and antioxidant activity.

The RDA for molybdenum depends on your age and life stage. Experts recommend:

What foods are high in molybdenum?

Foods that are good or excellent sources of molybdenum include:

• Dairy products: Yogurt, milk and cheeses like cheddar are good sources of molybdenum.
• Grains: Many different grains, including cereals, corn, oats, rice and wheat, contain molybdenum.
• Legumes: Black-eyed peas are one of the best sources of molybdenum, but other legumes, like lima beans, kidney beans and peanuts, also contain it.
• Organ meats: Beef liver and kidneys provide a high amount of molybdenum because these organs store excess amounts of the mineral.
• Potatoes: If you eat the skin, you’ll get the most molybdenum.

Although you usually won’t find molybdenum listed on a nutrition facts label, it’s in there.

“Generally, it’s easy to get the RDA of molybdenum from your diet,” Dr. Young repeats. “Molybdenum is found in soil, so plants absorb it as they grow. When you eat those plants or animals eat those plants, you absorb the molybdenum, too.”

Should I take molybdenum supplements?

“Supplements aren’t necessary, as nearly everyone gets plenty of molybdenum from their diet,” reiterates Dr. Young. “Taking too much molybdenum from supplements can be toxic, potentially causing gout-like symptoms, like joint pain, and may lead to copper deficiency.”

A few people in the world have molybdenum cofactor deficiency, a rare genetic mutation that interferes with the body’s ability to process molybdenum. But even in these cases, supplements alone won’t help.

“Molybdenum cofactor deficiency is a gene mutation that leads to molybdenum deficiency, and it’s life-threatening,” states Dr. Young. “People with this disorder need ongoing medical care, which may include specialized genetic therapies and a feeding tube.”

Should my multivitamin contain molybdenum?

If you take a multivitamin or multimineral supplement, it may contain some molybdenum. In lower doses, this is fine, but steer clear of megadoses.

“Multivitamins should contain 100% or less of the RDA for each vitamin and mineral,” advises Dr. Young. “Check the label for amounts because very high doses of any nutrients from supplements can be toxic. We also don’t know how well your body absorbs molybdenum from supplements. In general, the molybdenum you get from food is all you need.”

Ask your provider before taking supplements

You can purchase molybdenum supplements online and in some stores, but that doesn’t mean you should take them.

“Even though molybdenum is a crucial mineral, supplements are unnecessary,” Dr. Young emphasizes. “Don’t assume that a supplement is safe just because it’s on a store shelf. Talk with your medical provider before you take supplements, because some kinds can cause harmful interactions and side effects. It’s always better to play it safe and ask a health professional.”