Molybdenum
Also known as Mo
Molybdenum is an essential trace mineral that serves as a cofactor for four enzymes, including those that break down sulfur-containing amino acids and process toxic byproducts. Requirements are very small, set as an RDA in micrograms, and dietary deficiency is essentially unknown in healthy people because molybdenum is widely available in legumes, grains, and nuts. The same requirement applies to adult men and women.
The recommended intake sits at about 2% of the level considered the safe daily ceiling, leaving comfortable headroom.
Why it matters
What it does in your body
- Cofactor for sulfite oxidase and other enzymes
- Metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids
- Breakdown of purines and formation of uric acid
- Detoxification of certain compounds
By age, sex, and life stage
How much you need
Molybdenum uses an RDA for children and adults (AI for infants 0 to 12 months). The adult requirement is 45 mcg for both sexes. Pregnancy and lactation both rise to 50 mcg.
Recommended intake across life
in mcg/dayBars scale to the highest recommendation shown. Where men and women differ, both values are listed.
Full reference table
| Life stage | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Infants 0-6 mo | 2 (AI) | 2 (AI) |
| Infants 7-12 mo | 3 (AI) | 3 (AI) |
| Children 1-3 | 17 | 17 |
| Children 4-8 | 22 | 22 |
| Children 9-13 | 34 | 34 |
| Teens 14-18 | 43 | 43 |
| Adults 19+ | 45 | 45 |
| Pregnancy | n/a | 50 |
| Lactation | n/a | 50 |
Values in mcg/day. AI marks an Adequate Intake, used when there is not enough evidence for a formal recommendation.
What moves the number
What changes your needs
Age
Needs rise from 17 mcg in toddlers to 45 mcg in adults and hold steady thereafter.
Sex
No difference between adult men and women; both need 45 mcg.
Body weight / size
Adult requirements are set equally for both sexes; childhood values scale with growth.
Pregnancy and lactation
Requirements rise modestly to 50 mcg for both pregnancy and lactation.
Diet type
Legumes, whole grains, and nuts are rich sources, so plant-forward diets easily exceed the requirement.
Running low
Signs you might not get enough
Most at risk: No population groups are recognized as at risk of dietary deficiency; the only known cases stem from a rare inherited genetic defect.
Too much
Can you get too much?
Molybdenum toxicity from diet is extremely rare in humans. High intakes have been linked in some studies to gout-like joint symptoms and elevated uric acid.
Where to get it
Best food sources
The bottom line
Molybdenum is needed only in trace amounts, and legumes deliver it in abundance, so deficiency does not occur in healthy people eating a normal diet. There is little reason to supplement, and very high intakes may provoke gout-like symptoms. It is one of the least worrisome trace minerals nutritionally.
Track molybdenum automatically
Molybdenum is one of the 92 nutrients Vora reads from a photo of your meal, so you can see where you stand without weighing or logging by hand.
Sources and method
The recommended intakes, upper limits, and food-source amounts on this page come from the primary references below. Numbers were checked against the current NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets and the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academies) Dietary Reference Intakes.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Molybdenum Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
- Institute of Medicine (IOM/NASEM), Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc
This page is for general education, not medical advice. Reference intakes are population averages for healthy people and do not replace guidance from your doctor or a registered dietitian, especially if you are pregnant, managing a health condition, or considering supplements.