This Rare Mineral is Widely Implicated in Detoxification, Endocrine Function, and Cancer

Minerals are the most recommended supplement by so many naturopaths because of their critical role in the human body and how deficiency can be linked to so many diseases. In fact, it is often the minerals alone that make particular foods essential parts of the diet, such as seaweed for its Iodine content and oysters for their zinc content.

Molybdenum, an essential trace mineral, is even harder to obtain in the diet, with very few foods containing it. One of the few safest foods is potatoes, containing a mere 10-20 micrograms per 100 grams - hardly a significant amount. Supplements generally have around 500mcg per capsule, which is something to watch out for because they will inevitably fill the rest of the capsule with undesirable fillers.

General molybdenum deficiency has significant implications for  metabolic health, highlighting the need for adequate intake to support enzymatic functions and removing a range of toxins, such as those from alcohol, purines, Candida a., sulfites, and heavy metals. The reason is that it is a critical co-factor in the detoxification enzymes: sulfite oxidase, xanthine oxidase, aldehyde oxidase, and mitochondrial amidoxime reducing component. Deficiency is associated with the accumulation of toxic metabolites, mostly sulfite and S-sulfocysteine (SSC), which can cause rapid neurodegenerationand symptoms like brain fog and lethargy. Molybdenum is sometimes taken as a supplement for detoxing alcohol, due to its important role as a cofactor in producing the enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase. Molybdenum is an essential component of over 50 other enzymes and is biologically active when properly managed by a organophosphate-dithiolate scaffold, called molybdopterin, which is needed to make molybdenum cofactor (Mo-co). This cofactor is necessary for a variety of metabolic pathways. 

• Cancer: Deficiency has been linked in some studies to higher cancer risk and exhibits anti-cancer activity in the GI tract by interrupting the synthesis of nitrosamines (Chen, 2007). Organomolybdenum compounds have potent anticancer and antimicrobial activities (Patil, et al, 2012; Saraswati and Kant, 2013; Therani, 2023). As the authors of one study point out: "that tetrathiomolybdate significantly decreases the secretion of interleukin 6 and basic fibroblast growth factor by head and neck SCC (HNSCC) cell lines in vitro." (Teknos et al.). Generally, molybdenum compounds, including nanoparticles, show promise in targeting cancer cells with minimal damage to normal cells (Indrakumar & Korrapati, 2020). Molybdenum deficiency in the soil has been associated with cancer in those regions.

• Worsened Detoxification: Molybdenum deficiency leads to impaired sulfite oxidation, resulting in toxic accumulation of sulfite and related metabolites, which can cause neurological issues and metabolic disturbances (Ghasemzadeh et al., 2019, Johannes et al., 2022). Mutagenic N-hydroxylated nucleobases and their corresponding nucleosides are also detoxified by molybdenum enzymes, which  prevent cellular DNA from incorporating toxic base analogues into replication.

• More Oxidative Stress: Enzymes like xanthine oxidase generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), and deficiency in molybdenum can cause their dysfunction and exacerbate oxidative stress, contributing to liver diseases (Adamus et al., 2024). Candida overgrowth can cause excess acetaldehyde, which produces a high amount of reactive oxygen species, and supplementing with molybdenum removes excess acetaldehyde. It also prevents accumulation of lipids in the liver, and the oxidative stress caused by polyunsaturated fats |(Barra, et al., 2023).

• Metabolic Disorders: Molybdenum's role in nitrogen and sulfur metabolism is vital; deficiencies can disrupt these pathways, potentially leading to conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (Adamus et al., 2024). Studies on liver fibrosis found that molybdenum significantly inhibited fibrosus of the lungs and liver, and prevented damage to the heart and liver from toxic drugs like Tylenol and antibiotics ( ). It also is an essentail component of the enzyme that breaks down nitrate, called nitrate reductase, and therefore greatly helps those from excess nitrates in the diet that come mostly from dark leafy greens. 

• Hypothyroidism: In the book, "Conquering Any Disease", the author Jeff Primack, a Qigong practitioner, promotes molybdenum as a critical supplement for hypothyroidism. One of the reasons is that this mineral helps the body combat Candida overgrowth and increases glucose tolerance overall.

Besides the important enzymatic cofactor, molybdenum also alters the microbial community in the gut, why improving nitrate respiration and dehydrogenation of formate which limit the growth of pathogenic bacteria like E. Coli. (Zhu et al., 2019). Molybdenum supports the Phase I and Phase II detoxification pathways, and prevents toxic forms of estrogen from recirculating back into the bloodstream. It also reduces high copper levels, as molybdenum and copper antagonize one another. It has also been linked in long term population studies to longevity.

3 ounces of Beef Liver = 100mcg

Eggs, milk, and cheese = 2 to 87 mg

Lima Beans = 100mcg

Yogurt = 1 cup low fat = 26mcg

Potatoes = 16mcg

Too much molybdenum may be harmful if a person has critically low copper levels, or obtains too high amounts that could cause side effects, such as achy joints, gout-like symptoms, and abnormally high blood levels of uric acid.

Also, deficiency in molybdenum is often linked with Iodine deficiency, and molybdenum may have a protective effect on genotoxicity through a variety of different mechanisms (Teknos  et al, 2005).

A study in the United States suggested intakes of 76 g/d for women and 109 ug/d for men. 8 In Japan, intake has been estimated to be 225 ug/d.

 

Image: (Martinez, et al, 2019)

Adamus, J. P., Ruszczyńska, A., & Wyczałkowska-Tomasik, A. (2024). Molybdenum’s Role as an Essential Element in Enzymes Catabolizing Redox Reactions: A Review. Biomolecules, 14(7), 869.

Agneta, Oskarsson., Maria, Kippler. (2023). 1. Molybdenum – a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. doi: 10.29219/fnr.v67.10326

Barra, N. G., Anhê, F. F., Cavallari, J. F., Singh, A. M., Chan, D. Y., & Schertzer, J. D. (2021). Micronutrients impact the gut microbiota and blood glucose. Journal of Endocrinology, 250(2), R1-R21. Retrieved Oct 29, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1530/JOE-21-0081

Chen, Bo-yang. (2007). 6. The anti-cancer effects of trace elements molybdenum. Studies of Trace Elements and Health.

Indrakumar & Korrapati (2020). Steering Efficacy of Nano Molybdenum Towards Cancer: Mechanism of Action. Biological Trace Element Research, doi: 10.1007/S12011-019-01742-2

Lena, Johannes., Chunru, Fu., Günter, Schwarz. (2022). 3. Molybdenum Cofactor Deficiency in Humans. Molecules, doi:10.3390/molecules27206896

Martínez MC, Alonzo. Cazorla E, Cánovas E, Anniuk K, Cores AE, Serrano AM. Molybdenum Cofactor Deficiency: Mega Cisterna Magna in Two Consecutive Pregnancies and Review of the Literature. Appl Clin Genet. 2020;13:49-55

Patil, V. M. Naik, and N. B. Mallur, “Synthesis,spectral and antibacterial studies of oxomolybdenum(V)and dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes with 2-imidazo-lylmercaptoacetohydrazone,” Der Pharma Chemica, vol. 4,pp. 1812–1818, 2012

Saraswati and R. Kant, “Synthesis, characterization and biological activity of some molybdenum (VI) complexes,” Der Pharma Chemica, vol. 5, pp. 347–356, 2013.

Teknos TN, Islam M, Arenberg DA, Pan Q, Carskadon SL, Abarbanell AM, Marcus B, Paul S, Vandenberg CD, Carron M, et al. The effect of tetrathiomolybdate on cytokine expression, angiogenesis, and tumor growth in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2005;131:204–1

Tharani, Saravanan., Angappan, Sheela. (2024). 19. Molybdenum (VI) Complexes and their Dual Role as Antidiabetic and Anticancer Agents. Chemistryselect,  doi: 10.1002/slct.202400618