Molybdenum

What it is · too little · too much · daily reference values by country

For reference only. This is not a diagnosis or a prescription. If you have concerns, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.

What it is

Molybdenum acts as a cofactor that helps body enzymes such as xanthine oxidase do their work, and it takes part in the making of uric acid. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
Molybdenum is required as an essential component of several enzymes involved in oxidation-reduction reactions and transfer of electrons. (European Food Safety Authority)

Getting too little

No cases of molybdenum deficiency have been reported in healthy people, but a case was reported in one patient who received long-term total parenteral nutrition through a central vein. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
Molybdenum deficiency in healthy humans has not been observed. (European Food Safety Authority)

Getting too much

There are almost no human studies on molybdenum toxicity, but joint pain, high uric acid in the urine, and gout-like symptoms were seen in some residents of certain areas of Armenia where the soil is high in molybdenum. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)

Daily reference values by country

Korea · US · EU — tap to open

These tables are daily reference values for healthy people. Numbers in the text above are a different kind of value, and you cannot diagnose yourself from them. How to read RDA, AI and UL

Korea — 2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (Ministry of Health and Welfare)

Group	EAR	RNI	UL
1–2 years	8 μg	10 μg	Checking
3–5 years	10 μg	13 μg	Checking
Male · 6–8 years	15 μg	20 μg	Checking
Male · 9–11 years	20 μg	25 μg	Checking
Male · 12–14 years	25 μg	30 μg	Checking
Male · 15–18 years	30 μg	40 μg	Checking
Male · 19–29 years	25 μg	30 μg	Checking
Male · 30–49 years	25 μg	30 μg	Checking
Male · 50–64 years	25 μg	30 μg	Checking
Male · 65–74 years	25 μg	30 μg	Checking
Male · 75+ years	20 μg	25 μg	Checking
Female · 6–8 years	15 μg	20 μg	Checking
Female · 9–11 years	15 μg	20 μg	Checking
Female · 12–14 years	20 μg	25 μg	Checking
Female · 15–18 years	20 μg	25 μg	Checking
Female · 19–29 years	20 μg	25 μg	Checking
Female · 30–49 years	20 μg	25 μg	Checking
Female · 50–64 years	20 μg	25 μg	Checking
Female · 65–74 years	20 μg	25 μg	Checking
Female · 75+ years	15 μg	20 μg	Checking
Pregnancy	+0 μg	+0 μg	Checking
Lactation	+3 μg	+5 μg	Checking

US — NASEM (National Academies)

Group	EAR	RDA	AI	UL
1–3 years	13 μg	17 μg		300 μg
4–8 years	17 μg	22 μg		600 μg
Male · 9–13 years	26 μg	34 μg		1100 μg
Male · 14–18 years	33 μg	43 μg		1700 μg
Male · 19–30 years	34 μg	45 μg		2000 μg
Male · 31–50 years	34 μg	45 μg		2000 μg
Male · 51–70 years	34 μg	45 μg		2000 μg
Male · 71+ years	34 μg	45 μg		2000 μg
Female · 9–13 years	26 μg	34 μg		1100 μg
Female · 14–18 years	33 μg	43 μg		1700 μg
Female · 19–30 years	34 μg	45 μg		2000 μg
Female · 31–50 years	34 μg	45 μg		2000 μg
Female · 51–70 years	34 μg	45 μg		2000 μg
Female · 71+ years	34 μg	45 μg		2000 μg
Pregnancy · 14–18 years	40 μg	50 μg		1700 μg
Pregnancy · 19–30 years	40 μg	50 μg		2000 μg
Pregnancy · 31–50 years	40 μg	50 μg		2000 μg
Lactation · 14–18 years	35 μg	50 μg		1700 μg
Lactation · 19–30 years	36 μg	50 μg		2000 μg
Lactation · 31–50 years	36 μg	50 μg		2000 μg
0–6 months			2 μg	—
7–12 months			3 μg	—

UL — applies to: Unless otherwise specified, the UL represents total intake from food, water, and supplements.

EU — EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)

Group	AI	UL
7–11 months	10 μg
1–3 years	15 μg	100 μg
4–6 years	20 μg	200 μg
7–10 years	30 μg	250 μg
11–14 years	45 μg	400 μg
15–17 years	65 μg	500 μg
18+ years	65 μg	600 μg
Pregnancy · 18–60 years	65 μg
Lactation · 18–60 years	65 μg
Pregnancy · 18+ years		600 μg
Lactation · 18+ years		600 μg

UL — applies to: Total chronic daily intake from all dietary sources.

Sources

EFSA DRV Finder (Dietary Reference Values) · checked 2026-10-07
EFSA DRV Finder — nutrient descriptions · checked 2026-10-07
EFSA Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (v11, August 2025) · checked 2026-10-07
2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans, Vol. 3: Minerals (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare · The Korean Nutrition Society; in Korean) · checked 2026-10-07
2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans — summary tables (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare · The Korean Nutrition Society; in Korean) · checked 2026-10-07
NASEM Dietary Reference Intakes summary tables (Appendix J, 2019) · checked 2026-10-07

The sentences are plain-language summaries of official sources written by SuppleBoard. Each English sentence was checked against the source text by an AI reviewer before publishing. The agencies do not endorse this site. Published 2026-10-17.

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