This is a general overview. For more in-depth information, see our health professional fact sheet.
This is a general overview. For more in-depth information, see our health professional fact sheet.
Molybdenum is a mineral that you need to stay healthy. Your body uses molybdenum to process proteins and genetic material like DNA. Molybdenum also helps break down drugs and toxic substances that enter the body.
The amount of molybdenum you need depends on your age. Average daily recommended amounts are listed below in micrograms (mcg).
Life Stage Recommended Amount Birth to 6 months 2 mcg Infants 7–12 months 3 mcg Children 1–3 years 17 mcg Children 4–8 years 22 mcg Children 9–13 years 34 mcg Teens 14–18 years 43 mcg Adults 19 years and older 45 mcg Pregnant teens and women 50 mcg Breastfeeding teens and women 50 mcgMany foods contain molybdenum. The amount of molybdenum in food depends on the amount of molybdenum in the soil and in the water used for irrigation. You can get recommended amounts of molybdenum by eating a variety of foods, including the following:
Some multivitamin/mineral supplements contain molybdenum. Other supplements contain molybdenum alone or together with other minerals.
Most people in the United States get enough molybdenum from the foods they eat.
Molybdenum deficiency is very rare in the United States. It happens only in people with a very rare genetic disorder called molybdenum cofactor deficiency. This disorder prevents the body from using molybdenum. It can cause seizures and severe brain damage that usually leads to death within days after birth.
Whether molybdenum affects any disease or health condition isn’t known.
Molybdenum from food and beverages doesn’t cause any harm. However, people exposed to high levels of molybdenum in the air and soil, such as miners and metalworkers, sometimes develop achy joints, gout-like symptoms, and high blood levels of uric acid (a substance that is normally excreted in your urine).
The daily upper limits for molybdenum include intakes from all sources—food, beverages, and supplements—and are listed below in micrograms (mcg).
Ages Upper Limit Birth to 12 months Not established Children 1–3 years 300 mcg Children 4–8 years 600 mcg Children 9–13 years 1,100 mcg Teens 14–18 years 1,700 mcg Adults 2,000 mcgMolybdenum is not known to interact or interfere with any medicines, but it’s always important to tell your doctor, pharmacist, and other health care providers about any dietary supplements and prescription or over-the-counter medicines you take. They can tell you if these dietary supplements might interact with your medicines or if the medicines might interfere with how your body absorbs, uses, or breaks down nutrients, such as molybdenum.
People should get most of their nutrients from food and beverages, according to the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Foods contain vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other components that benefit health. In some cases, fortified foods and dietary supplements are useful when it is not possible to meet needs for one or more nutrients (for example, during specific life stages such as pregnancy). For more information about building a healthy dietary pattern, see the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate.
This fact sheet by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) provides information that should not take the place of medical advice. We encourage you to talk to your health care providers (doctor, registered dietitian, pharmacist, etc.) about your interest in, questions about, or use of dietary supplements and what may be best for your overall health. Any mention in this publication of a specific product or service, or recommendation from an organization or professional society, does not represent an endorsement by ODS of that product, service, or expert advice.
Though your body only needs tiny amounts of the trace mineral molybdenum, it’s a key component of many vital functions. Without it, deadly sulfites and toxins would build up in your body.
Molybdenum is widely available in the diet, but supplements are still popular. As with many supplements, high doses may pose some minor risks, but they are rare.
This article covers everything you need to know about this little-known mineral.
Molybdenum is an essential mineral in the body, just like iron and magnesium.
It is present in soil and transferred into your diet when you consume plants, as well as animals that feed on those plants. The specific molybdenum content of certain foods depends on the content of the soil.
Although amounts vary, the richest sources are usually beans, lentils, grains and organ meats, particularly liver and kidney. Poorer sources include other animal products, fruits and many vegetables (1).
Studies have shown that your body doesn’t absorb it well from certain foods, particularly soy products, which contain 57% to 58% molybdenum bioavailability. However, this is not considered a problem since other foods are so rich in it (1, 2).
Since your body only needs it in trace amounts and it’s abundant in many foods, molybdenum deficiency is rare. For this reason, people don’t usually need supplements, unless for some specific medical reasons.
Summary:Molybdenum is found in many foods, such as legumes, grains and organ meats. Your body only requires it in trace amounts, so deficiency is extremely rare.
Molybdenum is vital for many processes in your body.
Once you eat it, it is passively absorbed into your blood from your intestinal tract, then carried to your liver, kidneys and other areas (3).
Some of this mineral is stored in the liver and kidneys, but most of it is converted into a molybdenum cofactor. Any excess molybdenum is then passed in urine (4).
The molybdenum cofactor activates four essential enzymes, which are biological molecules that drive chemical reactions in the body. Below are the four enzymes:
Molybdenum’s role in breaking down sulfites is especially important.
Sulfites are found naturally in foods and also sometimes added as a preservative. If they build up in the body, they can trigger an allergic reaction that can include diarrhea, skin problems, breathing difficulties, or decrease in beneficial microbiome bacteria (10, 11, 12).
Summary:Molybdenum acts as a cofactor for four enzymes. These enzymes are involved in processing sulfites and breaking down waste products and toxins in the body.
Although supplements are widely available, molybdenum deficiency is very rare in healthy people.
The estimated average daily intake of molybdenum in the US is 76 micrograms per day for women and 109 micrograms per day for men.
This exceeds the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults, which is 45 micrograms per day (3).
Information on molybdenum intake in other countries varies, but it’s usually well above requirements (3).
There have been a few exceptional cases of molybdenum deficiency, which have been linked to adverse health conditions.
In one small region of China, esophageal cancer is 100 times more common than in the US. It has been discovered that the soil in this area contains very low levels of molybdenum, resulting in a long-term low dietary intake (13).
Furthermore, in other areas that have a high risk of esophageal cancer, such as parts of northern Iran and South Africa, molybdenum levels in hair and nail samples have been found to be low (14, 15).
It is important to note that these are cases in individual populations, and deficiency is not an issue for most people.
Summary:In a few cases, low molybdenum content in the soil has been linked to esophageal cancer. However, since the average daily intake of molybdenum in the US exceeds the RDA, deficiency is extremely rare.
Molybdenum cofactor deficiency is a very rare genetic condition in which babies are born without the ability to make molybdenum cofactor (16).
Therefore, they are unable to activate the four important enzymes mentioned above.
It’s caused by a recessive, hereditary gene mutation, so a child would have to inherit the affected gene from both parents to develop it.
Babies with this condition appear normal at birth, but become unwell within a week, experiencing seizures that don’t improve with treatment.
Toxic levels of sulfite accumulate in their blood, since they are unable to convert it to sulfate. This leads to brain abnormalities and severe developmental delays.
Sadly, babies who are affected do not survive past early childhood.
Fortunately, this condition is extremely rare. Prior to 2010, there were only about 100 reported cases globally (17, 18).
Summary:Molybdenum cofactor deficiency causes brain abnormalities, developmental delays and childhood death. Fortunately, it’s extremely rare.
As with most vitamins and minerals, there is no advantage to taking more than the recommended amount of molybdenum.
In fact, doing so can harm your health.
The tolerable upper intake level (UL) is the highest daily intake of a nutrient that is unlikely to cause harm for almost all people. It is not recommended to regularly exceed it.
The UL for molybdenum is 2,000 micrograms (mcg) per day (3).
Molybdenum toxicity is rare and studies in humans are limited. However, in animals, very high levels have been linked to reduced growth, kidney failure, infertility and diarrhea (3).
On rare occasions, molybdenum supplements have caused serious side effects in humans, even when the doses were well within the UL.
In one older study, a man consumed 300–800 mcg per day over 18 days. He developed seizures, hallucinations and permanent brain damage (19).
Too much molybdenum can cause a buildup of uric acid due to the action of the enzyme xanthine oxidase.
In an older study in Armenia, where soil concentrations of molybdenum are unusually high, a group of Armenian people who each consumed 10,000–15,000 mcg a day, which is 5–7 times the UL, reported gout-like symptoms (20, 21).
Gout occurs when there are high levels of uric acid in the blood, which causes tiny crystals to form around the joints, leading to pain and swelling (22).
Studies have shown that a high intake of molybdenum could possibly cause decreased bone growth and bone mineral density (BMD).
Currently, there are no controlled studies in humans. However, an observational study of 1,496 people found interesting results.
It found that as molybdenum intake levels increased, lumbar spine BMD appeared to decrease in women over the age of 50 (23).
Controlled studies in animals have supported these findings.
In one older study, rats were fed high amounts of molybdenum. As their intake increased, their bone growth decreased (24).
In a similar study in ducks, high intakes of molybdenum were associated with damage to their foot bones (25).
Research has also shown an association between high molybdenum intake and reproductive difficulties.
An observational study including 219 men recruited through fertility clinics showed a significant relationship between increased molybdenum in the blood and decreased sperm count and quality (26).
Another study also found that increased molybdenum in the blood was linked to decreased testosterone levels. When combined with low zinc levels, it was linked with a whopping 37% reduction in testosterone levels (27).
Although the studies raise many questions, more research is needed.
Summary:In rare cases, high intakes of molybdenum have been linked to seizures and brain damage. Initial studies have also suggested an association with gout, poor bone health and decreased fertility.
It is clear that both too much and too little molybdenum can be extremely problematic.
So how much do you actually need?
It is hard to measure molybdenum in the body, since blood and urine levels don’t necessarily reflect status.
For this reason, data from controlled studies has been used to estimate requirements.
Here are the RDAs for molybdenum for different populations (3):
All adults over 19 years old: 45 mcg per day.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women of any age: 50 mcg per day.
Summary:Controlled studies have been used to estimate RDAs for molybdenum for adults and children, as well as women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Molybdenum is an essential mineral found in high concentrations in legumes, grains and organ meats.
It activates enzymes that help break down harmful sulfites and prevent toxins from building up in the body.
Situations in which people get too much or too little of the mineral are extremely rare, but both have been linked to serious adverse effects.
Since molybdenum is found in many common foods, the average daily intake exceeds requirements. For this reason, most people should avoid supplementing with it.
As long as you eat a healthy diet with a variety of whole foods, then molybdenum is not a nutrient to be concerned about.
Molybdenum is a mineral that you need to stay healthy. Your body uses molybdenum to process proteins and genetic material like DNA. Molybdenum also helps break down drugs and toxic substances that enter the body.
The amount of molybdenum you need depends on your age. Average daily recommended amounts are listed below in micrograms (mcg).
Life Stage Recommended Amount Birth to 6 months 2 mcg Infants 7–12 months 3 mcg Children 1–3 years 17 mcg Children 4–8 years 22 mcg Children 9–13 years 34 mcg Teens 14–18 years 43 mcg Adults 19 years and older 45 mcg Pregnant teens and women 50 mcg Breastfeeding teens and women 50 mcgMany foods contain molybdenum. The amount of molybdenum in food depends on the amount of molybdenum in the soil and in the water used for irrigation. You can get recommended amounts of molybdenum by eating a variety of foods, including the following:
Some multivitamin/mineral supplements contain molybdenum. Other supplements contain molybdenum alone or together with other minerals.
Most people in the United States get enough molybdenum from the foods they eat.
Molybdenum deficiency is very rare in the United States. It happens only in people with a very rare genetic disorder called molybdenum cofactor deficiency. This disorder prevents the body from using molybdenum. It can cause seizures and severe brain damage that usually leads to death within days after birth.
Whether molybdenum affects any disease or health condition isn’t known.
Molybdenum from food and beverages doesn’t cause any harm. However, people exposed to high levels of molybdenum in the air and soil, such as miners and metalworkers, sometimes develop achy joints, gout-like symptoms, and high blood levels of uric acid (a substance that is normally excreted in your urine).
The daily upper limits for molybdenum include intakes from all sources—food, beverages, and supplements—and are listed below in micrograms (mcg).
Ages Upper Limit Birth to 12 months Not established Children 1–3 years 300 mcg Children 4–8 years 600 mcg Children 9–13 years 1,100 mcg Teens 14–18 years 1,700 mcg Adults 2,000 mcgMolybdenum is not known to interact or interfere with any medicines, but it’s always important to tell your doctor, pharmacist, and other health care providers about any dietary supplements and prescription or over-the-counter medicines you take. They can tell you if these dietary supplements might interact with your medicines or if the medicines might interfere with how your body absorbs, uses, or breaks down nutrients, such as molybdenum.
People should get most of their nutrients from food and beverages, according to the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Foods contain vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other components that benefit health. In some cases, fortified foods and dietary supplements are useful when it is not possible to meet needs for one or more nutrients (for example, during specific life stages such as pregnancy). For more information about building a healthy dietary pattern, see the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate.
This fact sheet by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) provides information that should not take the place of medical advice. We encourage you to talk to your health care providers (doctor, registered dietitian, pharmacist, etc.) about your interest in, questions about, or use of dietary supplements and what may be best for your overall health. Any mention in this publication of a specific product or service, or recommendation from an organization or professional society, does not represent an endorsement by ODS of that product, service, or expert advice.
Though your body only needs tiny amounts of the trace mineral molybdenum, it’s a key component of many vital functions. Without it, deadly sulfites and toxins would build up in your body.
Molybdenum is widely available in the diet, but supplements are still popular. As with many supplements, high doses may pose some minor risks, but they are rare.
This article covers everything you need to know about this little-known mineral.
Molybdenum is an essential mineral in the body, just like iron and magnesium.
It is present in soil and transferred into your diet when you consume plants, as well as animals that feed on those plants. The specific molybdenum content of certain foods depends on the content of the soil.
Although amounts vary, the richest sources are usually beans, lentils, grains and organ meats, particularly liver and kidney. Poorer sources include other animal products, fruits and many vegetables (1).
Studies have shown that your body doesn’t absorb it well from certain foods, particularly soy products, which contain 57% to 58% molybdenum bioavailability. However, this is not considered a problem since other foods are so rich in it (1, 2).
Since your body only needs it in trace amounts and it’s abundant in many foods, molybdenum deficiency is rare. For this reason, people don’t usually need supplements, unless for some specific medical reasons.
Summary:Molybdenum is found in many foods, such as legumes, grains and organ meats. Your body only requires it in trace amounts, so deficiency is extremely rare.
Molybdenum is vital for many processes in your body.
Once you eat it, it is passively absorbed into your blood from your intestinal tract, then carried to your liver, kidneys and other areas (3).
Some of this mineral is stored in the liver and kidneys, but most of it is converted into a molybdenum cofactor. Any excess molybdenum is then passed in urine (4).
The molybdenum cofactor activates four essential enzymes, which are biological molecules that drive chemical reactions in the body. Below are the four enzymes:
Molybdenum’s role in breaking down sulfites is especially important.
Sulfites are found naturally in foods and also sometimes added as a preservative. If they build up in the body, they can trigger an allergic reaction that can include diarrhea, skin problems, breathing difficulties, or decrease in beneficial microbiome bacteria (10, 11, 12).
Summary:Molybdenum acts as a cofactor for four enzymes. These enzymes are involved in processing sulfites and breaking down waste products and toxins in the body.
Although supplements are widely available, molybdenum deficiency is very rare in healthy people.
The estimated average daily intake of molybdenum in the US is 76 micrograms per day for women and 109 micrograms per day for men.
This exceeds the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults, which is 45 micrograms per day (3).
Information on molybdenum intake in other countries varies, but it’s usually well above requirements (3).
There have been a few exceptional cases of molybdenum deficiency, which have been linked to adverse health conditions.
In one small region of China, esophageal cancer is 100 times more common than in the US. It has been discovered that the soil in this area contains very low levels of molybdenum, resulting in a long-term low dietary intake (13).
Furthermore, in other areas that have a high risk of esophageal cancer, such as parts of northern Iran and South Africa, molybdenum levels in hair and nail samples have been found to be low (14, 15).
It is important to note that these are cases in individual populations, and deficiency is not an issue for most people.
Summary:In a few cases, low molybdenum content in the soil has been linked to esophageal cancer. However, since the average daily intake of molybdenum in the US exceeds the RDA, deficiency is extremely rare.
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Molybdenum cofactor deficiency is a very rare genetic condition in which babies are born without the ability to make molybdenum cofactor (16).
Therefore, they are unable to activate the four important enzymes mentioned above.
It’s caused by a recessive, hereditary gene mutation, so a child would have to inherit the affected gene from both parents to develop it.
Babies with this condition appear normal at birth, but become unwell within a week, experiencing seizures that don’t improve with treatment.
Toxic levels of sulfite accumulate in their blood, since they are unable to convert it to sulfate. This leads to brain abnormalities and severe developmental delays.
Sadly, babies who are affected do not survive past early childhood.
Fortunately, this condition is extremely rare. Prior to 2010, there were only about 100 reported cases globally (17, 18).
Summary:Molybdenum cofactor deficiency causes brain abnormalities, developmental delays and childhood death. Fortunately, it’s extremely rare.
As with most vitamins and minerals, there is no advantage to taking more than the recommended amount of molybdenum.
In fact, doing so can harm your health.
The tolerable upper intake level (UL) is the highest daily intake of a nutrient that is unlikely to cause harm for almost all people. It is not recommended to regularly exceed it.
The UL for molybdenum is 2,000 micrograms (mcg) per day (3).
Molybdenum toxicity is rare and studies in humans are limited. However, in animals, very high levels have been linked to reduced growth, kidney failure, infertility and diarrhea (3).
On rare occasions, molybdenum supplements have caused serious side effects in humans, even when the doses were well within the UL.
In one older study, a man consumed 300–800 mcg per day over 18 days. He developed seizures, hallucinations and permanent brain damage (19).
Too much molybdenum can cause a buildup of uric acid due to the action of the enzyme xanthine oxidase.
In an older study in Armenia, where soil concentrations of molybdenum are unusually high, a group of Armenian people who each consumed 10,000–15,000 mcg a day, which is 5–7 times the UL, reported gout-like symptoms (20, 21).
Gout occurs when there are high levels of uric acid in the blood, which causes tiny crystals to form around the joints, leading to pain and swelling (22).
Studies have shown that a high intake of molybdenum could possibly cause decreased bone growth and bone mineral density (BMD).
Currently, there are no controlled studies in humans. However, an observational study of 1,496 people found interesting results.
It found that as molybdenum intake levels increased, lumbar spine BMD appeared to decrease in women over the age of 50 (23).
Controlled studies in animals have supported these findings.
In one older study, rats were fed high amounts of molybdenum. As their intake increased, their bone growth decreased (24).
In a similar study in ducks, high intakes of molybdenum were associated with damage to their foot bones (25).
Research has also shown an association between high molybdenum intake and reproductive difficulties.
An observational study including 219 men recruited through fertility clinics showed a significant relationship between increased molybdenum in the blood and decreased sperm count and quality (26).
Another study also found that increased molybdenum in the blood was linked to decreased testosterone levels. When combined with low zinc levels, it was linked with a whopping 37% reduction in testosterone levels (27).
Although the studies raise many questions, more research is needed.
Summary:In rare cases, high intakes of molybdenum have been linked to seizures and brain damage. Initial studies have also suggested an association with gout, poor bone health and decreased fertility.
It is clear that both too much and too little molybdenum can be extremely problematic.
So how much do you actually need?
It is hard to measure molybdenum in the body, since blood and urine levels don’t necessarily reflect status.
For this reason, data from controlled studies has been used to estimate requirements.
Here are the RDAs for molybdenum for different populations (3):
All adults over 19 years old: 45 mcg per day.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women of any age: 50 mcg per day.
Summary:Controlled studies have been used to estimate RDAs for molybdenum for adults and children, as well as women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Molybdenum is an essential mineral found in high concentrations in legumes, grains and organ meats.
It activates enzymes that help break down harmful sulfites and prevent toxins from building up in the body.
Situations in which people get too much or too little of the mineral are extremely rare, but both have been linked to serious adverse effects.
Since molybdenum is found in many common foods, the average daily intake exceeds requirements. For this reason, most people should avoid supplementing with it.
As long as you eat a healthy diet with a variety of whole foods, then molybdenum is not a nutrient to be concerned about.
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