Molybdenum
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Good For Maintaining Oral Hygiene |
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Necessary For The Detoxification Of Alcohol And Sulfur |
What Is It?
Molybdenum is an essential trace element for virtually all life forms. It functions as a cofactor for a number of enzymes that catalyze important chemical transformations in the global carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles. Thus, molybdenum-dependent enzymes are not only required for human health, but also for the health of our ecosystem.
Linus Pauling Institute
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Health Benefits
Good For Maintaining Oral Hygiene
Molybdenum is important to many enzyme functions and is a coenzyme in several enzymes, including those necessary for the detoxification of alcohol and sulfur, not to mention the enzymes necessary for the formation of uric acid . Molybdenum may be used to help prevent cancer as well as dental caries. Low levels of molybdenum can lead to an allergic reaction to sulfites. Sulfites are very common in the average diet and most people consume between 2 or 3 mg daily; beer and wine drinkers consume up to 10 mg daily.
In those geographical areas where molybdenum intake is high, there is also a lowered incidence of tooth decay. Molybdenum is a powerful tool for the maintenance of good oral hygiene. Molybdenum does not appear to interact negatively with any other nutrients or drugs and is very non-toxic unless taken in doses exceeding 100 mg per kilogram of body weight. That equals an astonishing 7000 mg per 154 pound person! Only Trace Minerals contains 250 mcg of molybdenum.
Life Extension Foundation
The biological form of molybdenum, present in almost all molybdenum-containing enzymes (molybdoenzymes), is an organic molecule known as the molybdenum cofactor. In humans, molybdenum is known to function as a cofactor for three enzymes:
* Sulfite oxidase catalyzes the transformation of sulfite to sulfate, a reaction that is necessary for the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine and cysteine).
* Xanthine oxidase catalyzes the breakdown of nucleotides (precursors to DNA and RNA) to form uric acid, which contributes to the plasma antioxidant capacity of the blood.
* Aldehyde oxidase and xanthine oxidase catalyze hydroxylation reactions that involve a number of different molecules with similar chemical structures. Xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase also play a role in the metabolism of drugs and toxins.
Linus Pauling Institute
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