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Mineral guide

Manganese

Manganese is an essential trace mineral involved in several enzyme systems. Its authorised EU benefit areas include bones, connective tissue, energy metabolism and protection of cells from oxidative stress.

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In this guideIngredient basics, choosing & product comparison

What is manganese?

Manganese is an essential trace mineral used by enzymes involved in metabolism, antioxidant defence and connective-tissue formation. It occurs naturally in foods such as whole grains, nuts, legumes and tea.

What does manganese support?

Manganese contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, the maintenance of normal bones and the normal formation of connective tissue. It also contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

Manganese, bones and connective tissue

Bone and connective-tissue support are especially useful manganese topics because both are established functions of this nutrient. This gives manganese a distinct role in mineral formulas alongside better-known nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and zinc.

How much manganese?

The EU label NRV for manganese is 2 mg. EFSA has also set an adult Adequate Intake of 3 mg/day from the overall diet. These figures serve different purposes: % NRV is the most useful reference for comparing supplement labels.

Manganese in mineral combinations

Manganese is often included in multivitamin/mineral, bone and connective-tissue formulas rather than sold as the main standalone ingredient. These formulas may also provide calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper or vitamin D, so manganese is often only one part of the overall formulation.

What should you compare?

Manganese / day

Compare elemental manganese in the recommended daily serving.

Form

Check whether the source is citrate, gluconate, a chelate or another permitted form.

Standalone or combination

Manganese is often included in multivitamin/mineral and bone-support formulas rather than sold alone.

Product comparison

Compare manganese supplements

Compare manganese per day, form, serving, other active ingredients, format and vegan suitability.

Standalone manganese is less common than manganese in combination formulas. Compare the elemental manganese amount first, then the source and the rest of the formulation. The EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) for manganese is 2 mg for adult labelling; it is a labelling reference, not a personal dose recommendation.

How products are ordered: by labelled daily manganese amount, lower to higher; equal amounts alphabetically. This is not a ranking.

ProductManganese / dayFormRecommended servingOther active ingredientsFormatVegan
LongLife MultimineralsView product ↗1–2 mgManganese gluconate1–2 tablets daily with water during mealsMulti-mineral formula with vitamin D3Coated tabletVegetarian
LongLife Magnesium 375 OsteoView product ↗2 mgManganese gluconate1 tablet daily with water during a mealMagnesium 375 mg; zinc 10 mg; vitamin D3 25 µg; vitamin K2 25 µgTabletNot confirmed
Solgar Chelated ManganeseView product ↗8 mgManganese glycinate amino acid chelate1 tablet daily, preferably with a meal—TabletYes
LongLife Manganese10mgView product ↗10 mgManganese gluconate1 tablet daily with water during a meal—Coated tabletYes
Sunday Natural Manganese 10 mgView product ↗10 mgManganese gluconate1 tablet daily with water, separately from meals—Plant-based tabletYes
EU health claim details
✓

Authorised health claims

A quick consumer view — full regulatory list available below
●  Manganese contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.Energy metabolism · General population
Claim type
Health functions (Article 13)

Condition of use
The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of manganese.
What does “source of” usually mean?
General food: 0.3 mg / 100 g or 100 ml
Beverage: 0.15 mg / 100 ml
Single-portion pack: 0.3 mg per portion
Calculated from the EU NRV significant-amount reference. Claim-specific conditions take precedence.


EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA opinion reference listed in the EU Register / Regulation (EU) No 432/2012

EU legal source
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (consolidated 20 Aug 2025)
●  Manganese contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.Bones · General population
Claim type
Health functions (Article 13)

Condition of use
The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of manganese.
What does “source of” usually mean?
General food: 0.3 mg / 100 g or 100 ml
Beverage: 0.15 mg / 100 ml
Single-portion pack: 0.3 mg per portion
Calculated from the EU NRV significant-amount reference. Claim-specific conditions take precedence.


EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA opinion reference listed in the EU Register / Regulation (EU) No 432/2012

EU legal source
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (consolidated 20 Aug 2025)
●  Manganese contributes to the normal formation of connective tissue.Connective tissues · General population
Claim type
Health functions (Article 13)

Condition of use
The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of manganese.
What does “source of” usually mean?
General food: 0.3 mg / 100 g or 100 ml
Beverage: 0.15 mg / 100 ml
Single-portion pack: 0.3 mg per portion
Calculated from the EU NRV significant-amount reference. Claim-specific conditions take precedence.


EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA opinion reference listed in the EU Register / Regulation (EU) No 432/2012

EU legal source
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (consolidated 20 Aug 2025)
●  Manganese contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.Cell protection · General population
Claim type
Health functions (Article 13)

Condition of use
The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of manganese.
What does “source of” usually mean?
General food: 0.3 mg / 100 g or 100 ml
Beverage: 0.15 mg / 100 ml
Single-portion pack: 0.3 mg per portion
Calculated from the EU NRV significant-amount reference. Claim-specific conditions take precedence.


EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA opinion reference listed in the EU Register / Regulation (EU) No 432/2012

EU legal source
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (consolidated 20 Aug 2025)
×

Other assessed health claims (1)

Not authorised for use in the EU
View claims ↓
A non-authorised claim is not automatically the same as a scientifically disproven claim. Open a claim to see the recorded reason or source details where available.
●  Important for brain functioning. Protects the brain. Regulates nerve impulse progression.Cognitive function ·
Claim type
Health functions (Article 13)

Condition of use
—

EFSA / scientific assessment
EFSA Journal 2009;7(9):1217

EU legal source
—

Additional statement / restriction
Non-compliance with the Regulation because on the basis of the scientific evidence assessed, this claimed effect for this food has not been substantiated.

Regulatory details

Check how the claims on this page are classified and where their regulatory information comes from.

View page-level details
Ingredient
Manganese
Category
Mineral
NRV
2 mg
Authorised claims
4
Other assessed claims
1
Claim framework
EU nutrition and health claims framework. Individual claim cards show the specific claim type, conditions of use, EFSA reference and legal source available in the version data.

Tip: expand any claim above for its claim-specific source details. The European Commission's EU Register is an information service; legal acts are the authoritative source for legal requirements, and some pending claims are not shown in the Register.

Claim use requirements

How much of this nutrient must a food contain for an EU health claim to be used?

For claims requiring the food to be a source of Manganese, the usual NRV-based significant amount is:
0.3 mg / 100 g or 100 ml for foods other than beverages
0.15 mg / 100 ml for beverages
0.3 mg per portion if the package contains only one portion
These are the general EU significant-amount reference levels. A claim-specific condition may be stricter and takes precedence.

Sources

Sources & further reading