January 20, 2023 Written by Dr. Thomas Wnorowski

6 Molybdenum Benefits and Uses for Your Health and Body

Key Points:

  • Although molybdenum deficiency is often overlooked as a root cause of chronic illness, this small but mighty mineral is in charge of a number of essential bodily functions. Those who supplement with molybdenum have seen improvements in male fertility, sulfite reactions, arthritis, and more.

  • Molybdenum is an amazing anti-inflammatory mineral and helps the body process toxins through the liver.

  • It’s typically easy to get molybdenum in your diet with a variety of whole foods. However, mineral-depleted soil may affect the nutrient status of food in some countries (even the US!). Those with chronic illnesses or chronic stress should always consider mineral supplementation — since their stores may be depleted.


In an era of medicine that’s obsessed with removing inflammation from the body, it’s interesting that molybdenum doesn’t get more attention. While we may not need a lot of this mineral, it performs a number of essential functions including toxin breakdown and hormone regulation.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves… Read on to learn everything you need to know about molybdenum health benefits. 

Table of Contents: 

What Is Molybdenum?

Molybdenum is a trace mineral that’s essential for a number of functions within the body. Since we only need a tiny amount of molybdenum, this trace mineral doesn’t usually make headlines or show up in dietary guides. But without it, you may experience lethargy, headaches, toxin buildup in the liver, and high blood pressure — to name a few!

Molybdenum is small but mighty. Some of the benefits of molybdenum include preventing free radical damage, arthritis management, male hormone balance, and more. Like other essential minerals for the body, you cannot function without sufficient levels of molybdenum.

Molybdenum Benefits

1. Breaks Down Toxins

Can your liver easily break down toxins that end up in your bloodstream from a polluted environment? If so, you can (partially) thank molybdenum. 

Molybdenum supports the sulfation process in the liver. Essentially, this is the process that’s in charge of managing and eliminating toxins from the body. Toxin buildup occurs when pollutants overload the liver and may cause symptoms like sluggishness, irritability, brain fog, and tiredness. With balanced levels of molybdenum, your body will approach environmental toxins with confidence.

2. May Boost Male Fertility and Balance Hormones

Some studies suggest that molybdenum may impact sperm quality and benefit men with prostate concerns. While research is still being done, a moderate dose of molybdenum for men is worth trying — especially as male fertility continues to decline worldwide.

3. Recommended for Arthritis Management

Have you tried everything for arthritis management without any results? Check out molybdenum. As we mentioned, molybdenum deficiency is rare — but it’s not out of the question. Often, chronic conditions can be greatly improved when matched with the right vitamin or mineral supplements. Molybdenum has been shown to increase the activity of key molybdoenzymes — lowering inflammation for patients with arthritis.

4. May Improve Carbohydrate Metabolism

Without proper metabolism of carbohydrates, many people suffer from insulin resistance and eventually diabetes. There are a number of ways you can naturally prevent diabetes — including diet and supplements. Molybdenum may be one supplement to explore for diabetes prevention. Although studies are still underway, it’s shown promising effects for decreased hypoglycemia.

Tip: molybdenum isn’t the only mineral responsible for blood sugar balancing. The trace mineral chromium also has connections with weight loss and improved insulin resistance. 

5. Sulfite Allergy Management

The connection between molybdenum and histamine sensitivity is often overlooked when it comes to allergy prevention and treatment. Sulfite allergies particularly have been known to improve with molybdenum supplementation. 

Sulfites are preservatives used in some processed foods — particularly in the United States. Unfortunately, some people struggle with sulfite allergies and have adverse reactions, like migraines, when sulfites are consumed. Molybdenum helps the body to increase uric acid production, which supports sulfite elimination through the liver. 

6. Molybdenum for Cellular Health

Did you know? Molybdenum can support healthy aging and boost your immune system with its natural antioxidant properties. It’s able to eliminate free radicals from the body (by trading electrons with free radical cells!) — removing inflammatory elements and ensuring your cells stay healthy and functional. 

How to Get Molybdenum in Your Diet

A healthy diet is key to maintaining molybdenum levels in the body. Luckily, it’s extremely easy to get molybdenum from a variety of healthy foods. A diet rich in fruits, veggies, and high-quality meats is usually enough, but let’s look at some foods you can prioritize to get increased levels of molybdenum:

  • Organic/raw dairy products (milk, cheese, and yogurt)
  • Legumes (lentils, peas, and beans)
  • Leafy greens 
  • High-quality meats (like grass-fed beef and chicken)

When You Should Supplement Molybdenum

Since you only need a small amount of molybdenum in your diet, molybdenum deficiency is considered rare. However, those suffering from chronic inflammation, sex hormone imbalances (especially men), and people with a suboptimal diet should look to molybdenum supplementation for better health.

One recorded case of molybdenum deficiency occurred when a hospital patient received IV nutrition without added molybdenum. This patient experienced symptoms like rapid heart rate, night blindness, irritability, and coma. Once molybdenum was added back into the patient’s diet, the symptoms reversed. 

This case is definitely an extreme — most molybdenum deficiency cases won’t manifest with this severity. However, like other mineral deficiencies, low molybdenum may cause lethargy, nausea, inflammation, and other unexplained symptoms. Keeping your mineral levels properly balanced is essential to healthy energy levels and vitality.

Soil Quality and Molybdenum Deficiency

Soil plays an important role in your molybdenum intake and some countries have low levels of molybdenum in their soil. Countries that aren’t intentional about crop rotation and soil quality (which, unfortunately, is most of them) may be the culprit for molybdenum deficiency in the body.

Quick and Easy Absorption with Liquid Molybdenum

A diagnosis of arthritis, sulfite sensitivity, or infertility can feel extremely overwhelming and isolating. Treatment recommendations typically include pharmaceutical drugs, major lifestyle changes, and a hefty financial investment to boot. 

But many healthcare providers overlook symptoms caused by a simple, yet extremely underrated issue — poor mineral and vitamin absorption. As we continue to deplete our soil and water resources of essential minerals, we’ll begin to see various chronic illnesses and a general decline in overall health become more and more common.

That’s why we desperately need high-quality supplements.

Our liquid molybdenum is formulated for optimal absorption within the body. Our customers have seen amazing results and symptom improvement from just a few drops of molybdenum in their diet every day. 

The bottom line: minerals are the spark plugs of the body — they keep our cells functioning. If you are suffering from chronic illness, look to minerals like molybdenum to support your energy levels, detoxification, and immune system function.

BodyBio Liquid Molybdenum Supplement

References

Abumrad, N. N., Schneider, A. J., Steel, D., & Rogers, L. S. (1981). Amino acid intolerance during prolonged total parenteral nutrition reversed by molybdate therapy. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 34(11), 2551–2559. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/34.11.2551


Zhai, X. W., Zhang, Y. L., Qi, Q., Bai, Y., Chen, X. L., Jin, L. J., Ma, X. G., Shu, R. Z., Yang, Z. J., & Liu, F. J. (2013). Effects of molybdenum on sperm quality and testis oxidative stress. Systems biology in reproductive medicine, 59(5), 251–255. https://doi.org/10.3109/19396368.2013.791347


Mann, U., Shiff, B., & Patel, P. (2020). Reasons for worldwide decline in male fertility. Current opinion in urology, 30(3), 296–301. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOU.0000000000000745


Ozcelikay, A. T., Becker, D. J., Ongemba, L. N., Pottier, A. M., Henquin, J. C., & Brichard, S. M. (1996). Improvement of glucose and lipid metabolism in diabetic rats treated with molybdate. The American journal of physiology, 270(2 Pt 1), E344–E352. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.1996.270.2.E344