The Benefits of Chromium & Manganese

Hi welcome back to Health Bunker Blog.

In today’s article we are going to cover the benefits of two essential trace minerals, Chromium and Manganese. This article will hopefully be a little lighter than other articles.

Most may not have heard of these important minerals or the role they play supporting vital functions in the body.

Questions we’ll be asking;

What are Chromium and Manganese?

What benefits do they offer?

Symptoms of Chromium or Manganese deficiencies

Foods that contain these essential trace minerals

Studies of Benefits and Deficiencies

Trace Minerals

A healthy diet is made of essential nutrition. Good Fats, Complex Carbs, Vitamins, Amino Acids (proteins), and Minerals. Today we are going to concentrate on minerals.

Trace minerals actually, to be more specific two minerals in particular, Chromium and Manganese.

This article is hopefully going to give you information about these important trace minerals, so you know where to find them, in food, liquids and supplements.

Trace minerals are compounds found in food and water. Your body needs them in small amounts hence ‘trace minerals’.

These small amounts are vitally important to keep our systems working optimally and keeping us all healthy in the process.

Not getting enough mineral content in our diets will result in health problems. (1)

These are the common trace minerals.

Manganese, Iron, Iodine, Copper, Zinc, Chromium, Fluoride, Selenium, Cobalt.

Modern Lifestyles

There are many issues caused by the way food is now grown, processed, and then finally cooked.

Constant spraying of pesticides and fertilisers reduces the mineral content in the plants we eventually eat.

Not just caused using these industrial chemicals but because soil is not given the chance to catch up with itself.

Crops are grown year after year in a relentless cycle. Which also reduces nutrient levels.

Then modern processing and cooking especially in microwave ovens then take nutrient levels down even further.

This can lead to nutrient deficiencies that then go on to cause the domino effect on health we see today.

It is said that to get the equivalent Vitamin C from an apple that my grandparents got in the 1950s, I would have to eat about 100 to their 1. (8)

This disputes the government ‘5 a day’ health advice which is probably nonsense.

I have shown this in previous articles, so please follow these links (2) (3) (4)

And watch this video for more info.

Absorption

One other issue of nutrient deficiencies is bioavailability.

Noun

‘The proportion of a drug or other substance which enters the circulation when introduced into the body and so is able to have an active effect’

Definition from Oxford Languages (5) (6)

If we have a compromised digestive system from, IBS, Chron’s, Celiac Disease or others, we will not absorb anywhere near enough nutrients from our food.

Remember that this food is nutritionally compromised too. This is a recipe for disaster for certain individuals.

Gluten is a prime example of reducing bioavailability of nutrients. Gluten blocks the receptors that take out the nutrients from our food.

This will then lead to deficiencies in certain vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

You are what you absorb not what you eat! (7)

Types of Chromium

Chromium is an important mineral, there are two forms of chromium. Trivalent Chromium this is the type we find naturally in meat, fruit, vegetables, and spring water, it is also used in chromium supplements.

The second form is Hexavalent Chromium. This is a known toxin to humans and cause skin issues and lung cancer.  Hexavalent is made by industrial processes, it is used in dyes, paints, inks, plastics, and chrome plating. (9) (10)

Benefits of Chromium

Chromium is obviously used for chromium deficiency, but it is also used for diabetes, high cholesterol (LDLs not HDLs), Polycystic Ovaries hormonal disorder that causes enlarged ovaries with cysts (PCOS), and many other conditions.

It may also help hunger, cravings and binge eating.

Chromium might help keep blood sugar levels normal by improving the way our bodies use insulin. (11) (13)

The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 130, Issue 4, April 2000, Pages 715–718 (12) (14)

Chromium Deficiency Symptoms

Impaired insulin function & high blood insulin

Inhibition of protein synthesis and energy production

Type 2 diabetes

Heart disease

Elevated blood cholesterol levels

Formation of aortic plaques

Atherosclerosis

Foods that Contain Chromium

Vegetables such as broccoli, potatoes, and green beans

Whole-grain products

Nuts

Beef and poultry

Fruits, including apples and bananas; grape

Milk and dairy products

Which Chromium Supplements: Chromium Picolinate or Chromium Nicotinate are more bioavailable.

NHS RDA: Adults: 25 mcg (16)

5 Evidence Backed Benefits of Manganese

Manganese is another trace mineral, which our bodies require in small amounts. It is needed for normal functioning brain, central nervous system, and our enzyme systems.

We store manganese in our kidneys, liver, pancreas, and bones. It is considered an essential nutrient, and we acquire manganese from our diet.

May improve Bone Health – Manganese is essential for bone health and is needed in development and maintaining health bones.

In older people when combined with calcium, zinc, & copper, it can help support the density of bones.

Antioxidant Properties – Manganese is a part of the enzyme ‘superoxide dismutase (SOD)’, which is one of the most important antioxidants in the body. (17)

Reduces Inflammation – Research suggests SOD, which manganese is part of, may play a role in reducing inflammation.

Blood Sugar – Manganese appears to play a role in regulating blood sugar. (18)

Wound Healing – Wound healing is a complex process that requires increased production of collagen. 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.

Manganese is an essential trace mineral needed for healthy skin, bone, and cartilage formation, as well as glucose tolerance. It also helps activate superoxide dismutase (SOD)—an important antioxidant enzyme.

Foods Containing Manganese

Manganese is available in many foods too many to list here. But here are some ideas. (19)

Drinks: Water, Tea

Food: Avocado, Green Leafy Vegetables, Brown Rice, Oats, Pineapple, strawberries, Raspberries, Nuts.

Health Bunker

Chromium and Manganese deficiencies are mirroring the same modern illnesses and diseases we are seeing every day.

These diseases are being caused by nutritional deficiencies and chemical toxicity.

I noticed in the research that ‘it wasn’t conclusive’.

But we know what these two essential nutrients do, so if we are not getting enough of them, you don’t need to be a scientist to work out what will happen.

Nutrition is the key to life, remember, you are what you absorb not just what you eat!

Eat Well. Be Well.

Health Bunker

It’s your life. Own it.

*Disclaimer – Please note, we are not Doctors or trained medical professionals. We are not giving medical advice. Check with your Doctor or health practitioner before trying anything.

References and Sources of Information;

1. https://tinyurl.com/yy5jrbwp
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157516302113
3. https://tinyurl.com/yxsy4fjm
4. https://healthbunker.co.uk/what-are-herbicides/
5. https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioavailability
7. https://gluten.org/2019/10/17/nutrient-deficiencies/
8. https://www.soscuisine.com/blog/orange-1950s-equivalent-21-todays-oranges/
9. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-932/chromium
10. https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/hexavalent_chromium.pdf
11. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chromium-picolinate
12. https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/130/4/715/4686593
13. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Chromium-HealthProfessional/
14. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/chromium-deficiency
15. https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/all-about-chromium/
16. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/
17. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/superoxide-dismutase
18. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/manganese