Molybdenum
Summary
Molybdenum is essential, but dietary deficiency has never been seen in healthy people, and NIH ODS says it is not a standard treatment for any condition. Controlled feeding studies in a handful of men show the body absorbs most of it and excretes the excess in urine, with no adverse effects up to 1,490 mcg/day for 24 days. The adult RDA is 45 mcg/day and the UL is 2,000 mcg/day.
Key facts
- An essential trace mineral; part of the molybdenum cofactor for sulfite oxidase, xanthine oxidase, aldehyde oxidase and mARC[1][2]
- Absorption and balance in controlled feeding studies (D); no clinical benefit trials in healthy people[3][4][5][6]
- Adults: RDA 45 mcg/day (50 mcg in pregnancy and lactation); UL 2,000 mcg/day[1]
- US diets supplied about 76–109 mcg/day in FDA's 1984 Total Diet Study, above the RDA; a kinetic model suggested about 115–120 mcg/day keeps plasma levels steady in men[1][5]
- None clinically relevant, per NIH ODS[1]
- Never reported from diet in healthy people; seen only with a rare genetic disorder or one case of long-term IV nutrition without molybdenum[1][2]
- 3 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 10, 2026
How it works
EstablishedMolybdenum works only as part of the molybdenum cofactor (molybdopterin), which four enzymes need to process sulfite, purines (into uric acid), aldehydes and some drugs. The kidneys control body levels: controlled studies show urinary excretion rises as intake rises.[1][2][3]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safety and balance | Grade D | No effect | PK study · n = 43 · 2006 | 2 rows |
| Requirement | Grade D | Mixed | PK study · n = 4 · 1995 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molybdenum balance at usual intakes | No effect | Grade D | PK study · n = 43 · 2006 Healthy young Japanese women Form: Dietary molybdenum (set menus) · Dose: About 150 to 318 mcg/day from food · Duration: Four 18-day metabolic studies (2001–2004) More than 90% of dietary molybdenum was absorbed, most of it was excreted in urine, and balance stayed near zero regardless of intake. | 17098584 (opens PubMed)Source [6] |
| Adverse effects and absorption across intakes of 22 to 1,490 mcg/day | No effect | Grade D | PK study · n = 4 · 1995 Healthy young men in a metabolic ward (US) Form: Dietary molybdenum with stable-isotope tracers · Dose: 22, 72, 121, 467 and 1,490 mcg/day · Duration: 24 days at each intake No adverse effects at any intake. 88–93% of molybdenum was absorbed at every intake, and urinary excretion rose with intake, so excess was rapidly excreted. | 7572711 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Balance on a very low molybdenum diet | Mixed | Grade D | PK study · n = 4 · 1995 Healthy young men in a metabolic ward (US) Form: Dietary molybdenum with stable-isotope tracers · Dose: 22 mcg/day, then 467 mcg/day · Duration: 102 days, then 18 days Men could not consistently reach balance at 22 mcg/day, though balance improved over time and no signs of deficiency appeared. The authors estimated a minimum requirement of about 25 mcg/day. | 7733035 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium molybdate | Varies[1] | No studies have compared absorption between supplement forms; molybdenum from food and water is absorbed at 40–100%.[1] | No form-specific tolerance data.[1] | Not tested in the trials cited here |
| Molybdenum glycinate or amino acid chelate | Varies[1] | No head-to-head absorption data versus molybdate.[1] | No form-specific tolerance data.[1] | Not tested in the trials cited here |
| Molybdenum from food (legumes, grains, nuts, liver) | Varies[1] | Over 90% absorbed from mixed diets in balance studies; one model estimated food-bound molybdenum is about 16% less bioavailable than purified molybdenum.[6][7] | High food intakes are usually harmless because excess is excreted in urine.[1] | All feeding studies cited here |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 22 to 1,490 mcg/day of molybdenum in controlled feeding studies with periods of 18 to 102 days. These were balance studies, not trials of health benefits. Supplements usually contain 50–500 mcg.[3][4][5][1]
Intake reference: Adult RDA: 45 mcg/day; 50 mcg/day in pregnancy and lactation. Adult UL: 2,000 mcg/day from food and supplements.[1] The UL is based on impaired reproduction and fetal development in rats and mice, because no suitable human data exist. NIH ODS fact sheet (updated March 30, 2021).
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Medicines
- Medications generallyNIH fact sheetNIH ODS lists no known clinically relevant interactions.[1]
Who should be careful
- Low copper status or copper-metabolism problems
- A toxicology review notes molybdenum toxicity is linked to low copper intake or depleted copper stores.[8]
- Exceeding the UL
- Intakes above 2,000 mcg/day are above the adult UL. A population eating 10–15 mg/day from high-molybdenum soil had gout-like symptoms and high uric acid.[1]
- Infants
- Breast milk, formula and food should be infants' only sources; no UL is set for them.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Food sources
| Food | Serving | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Black-eyed peas, boiled | 1/2 cup | 0.288 mg[1] |
| Beef liver, pan fried | 3 oz | 0.104 mg[1] |
| Lima beans, boiled | 1/2 cup | 0.104 mg[1] |
| Yogurt, plain, low-fat | 1 cup | 0.026 mg[1] |
| Milk, 2% | 1 cup | 0.022 mg[1] |
- Black-eyed peas, boiled0.3 mg
- Beef liver, pan fried0.1 mg
- Lima beans, boiled0.1 mg
- Yogurt, plain, low-fat0 mg
- Milk, 2%0 mg
How to read the label
- Label dose vs clinical doseSupplements carry 50–500 mcg. That is 1 to 11 times the 45 mcg RDA, while usual US diets already exceed the RDA.[1]
- FormsLabels list sodium molybdate, molybdenum glycinate, amino acid chelate or molybdenum chloride; no study compares their absorption.[1]
- Micrograms, not milligramsThe RDA is 45 mcg (0.045 mg) and the UL 2,000 mcg (2 mg); check units carefully.[1]
Cost per studied dose, without the sales pitch
Compare any product you already have by the amount it delivers, not by capsule count or front-of-pack weight.
Cost per studied dose
Enter the price, servings and the amount per serving from your label.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a molybdenum supplement?
Most people do not: dietary deficiency has never been seen in healthy people, and average US diets exceed the 45 mcg RDA.[1][2]
How much molybdenum is too much?
The adult UL is 2,000 mcg/day. Controlled studies found no adverse effects up to 1,490 mcg/day for 24 days.[1][3]
What foods are high in molybdenum?
Legumes are richest; half a cup of boiled black-eyed peas has about 288 mcg. Liver, whole grains, nuts and dairy also contribute.[1]
Does molybdenum lower copper?
In grazing animals, yes. In 8 young men, up to 1,500 mcg/day did not harm copper status, but people low in copper may be more vulnerable.[2][8]
Is molybdenum a "detox" mineral?
Its enzymes process sulfites, purines and some drugs, but NIH ODS says molybdenum is not a standard treatment for any condition.[1]
Sources
- [1]Molybdenum: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (updated March 30, 2021). NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 2021. fact-sheet
- [2]Molybdenum (updated May 2021, reviewed June 2021). Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center, Oregon State University, 2021. review
- [3]Molybdenum absorption, excretion, and retention studied with stable isotopes in young men at five intakes of dietary molybdenum.. Am J Clin Nutr, 1995. PK-study
- [4]Molybdenum absorption, excretion, and retention studied with stable isotopes in young men during depletion and repletion.. Am J Clin Nutr, 1995. PK-study
- [5]Molybdenum intake influences molybdenum kinetics in men.. J Nutr, 2007. PK-study
- [6]Molybdenum balance in healthy young Japanese women.. J Trace Elem Med Biol, 2006. PK-study
- [7]Molybdenum kinetics in men differ during molybdenum depletion and repletion.. J Nutr, 2006. PK-study
- [8]Assessment of molybdenum toxicity in humans.. J Appl Toxicol, 1999. review
- [9]Amino acid intolerance during prolonged total parenteral nutrition reversed by molybdate therapy.. Am J Clin Nutr, 1981. observational
What changed
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year taken from the record) and abstracts read for the cited rows.
- Adversarial review pass: every evidence row re-read against its PubMed abstract (n, intakes, durations). RDA, UL, food values, supplement range and interaction status taken from the NIH ODS fact sheet (opened 2026-10-10, updated March 30, 2021); the copper study of 8 young men is cited via the Linus Pauling Institute page (opened 2026-10-10), because the original is not in PubMed. Retraction, expression-of-concern and erratum check run on all 7 PMIDs: none flagged (a 1999 toxicology review with an erratum notice, PMID 10382558, was not used). No safety-first block: the mineral's safety is covered by the UL and intake reference. Page set indexable.