Nutritional Advice El Mondo

Molybdenum

  • Molybdenum is a trace mineral.
  • Nuts, grains, cauliflower and leafy vegetables are good sources, whereas animal products and fruit are low in molybdenum.
  • Molybdenum content of plant-based foods is dependent on the amount of molybdenum in the soil in which they are grown.
  • Molybdenum is a cofactor for 4 important enzymes: xanthine oxidase/dehydrogenase, sulfite oxidase and aldehyde oxidase.
    Xanthine oxidase catalyzes the breakdown of nucleotides (precursors of DNA and RNA) to form uric acid, which contributes to the antioxidant capacity of the blood.
    Xanthine dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine and xanthine to uric acid.
    Sulfite oxidase catalyzes the transformation of sulfite to sulfate, a reaction that is necessary for the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids, such as cysteine.
    Aldehyde oxidase is involved in several reactions, including the catabolism of pyrimidines.
  • A molybdenum deficiency is rare.
  • The half-life for molybdenum in slow-turnover tissue has been reported to be 42-74 days, compared to 1.7-2.5 days for fast-turnover tissue.
  • The body absorbs molybdenum quickly in the stomach and in the small intestine.
  • The bioavailability of dietary molybdenum is 70-90%.
  • The RDA is 45 mcg.
  • High doses (10-15 mg daily) have been associated with elevated levels of uric acid and a gout-like syndrome.
  • Molybdenum toxicity is rare due to its rapid renal clearance after absorption.
  • The human body contains about 0.07 mg of molybdenum per kilogram of weight.
    The liver and kidney store the highest amounts of molybdenum.
  • Molybdenum supplements are available in several forms: sodium molybdate, ammonium molybdate, molybdenum picolinate, molybdenum citrate and molybdenum aspartate.
  • The safe upper limit for adults has been set at 600 mcg per day.

Scientific studies on the relationship between molybdenum and disease prevention:
A review article of randomized, placebo-controlled double blind clinical trials (RCTs) will answer the following question:
"Do taking dietary supplements make sense?" Yes for a positive conclusion and no for a negative conclusion.

A review article of cohort studies or case-control studies will answer the following question:
"Should I change my diet?".