Manganese — vegansk

Manganese is a trace mineral essential to our body, and is found in the core of all our cells and in the mitochondria. It is also part of the SOD enzyme (Superoxide Dismutase) together with zinc and copper, which is a super important antioxidant in all living cells which are exposed to oxygen. 

Manganese is often overlooked when it comes to our diet. That is a shame, as the mineral is important for our natural maintenance of the connective tissue, such as joints and ligaments. Manganese is necessary to activate the enzymes needed for our natural collagen and proteoglycan formation, which are major components in our bodys connective tissue. The activation of glycosyltransferase and xylosyltransferase is important for the proteoglycans, which are used to metabolise and use proteins bound to glucosamino glycans, such as hyaluron and chondroitin. 
These processes are used to maintain normal connective tissue in our body, and proteoglycans can have a lubricating effect on the body's connective tissues structures. 

Connective tissue covers joint, articular cartilage, ligaments, tendons, skin, bones and intervertebral fibrocartilage (discs in our spine). Degeneration in the intervertebral fibrocartilage can lead to radical fissues and disc prolaps. 

Manganese contributes to the following:

• normal formation of connective tissue 
• normal energy yielding metabolism
• normal cell division
• maintenance of bones
• protects the cells against oxidative stress