Other Names:
Metavanadate, Métavanadate, Orthovanadate, Pentoxyde de Vanadium, Sulfate de Vanadyl, V, Vanadate, Vanadio, Vanadium Pentoxide, Vanadyl, Vanadyl Nicotinate, Vanadyl Sulfate, Vanadyl Sulphate.The basis
The element is found only in chemically combined form in nature, but once isolated artificially, the formation of an oxide layer stabilizes the free metal somewhat against further oxidation.
Vanadium occurs naturally in about 65 different minerals and in fossil fuel deposits.
Vanadium is abundant in most soils, in variable amounts, and it is taken up by plants at levels that reflect its availability.
In biology, a vanadium atom is an essential component of some enzymes, particularly the vanadium nitrogenase used by some nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.
Functions:
Vanadium is a trace mineral found in many foods you already eat. Most people consume enough vanadium, so it is likely you don't need to increase your intake, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Vanadium is used for treating diabetes, low blood sugar, high cholesterol, heart disease, tuberculosis, syphilis, a form of “tired blood” (anemia), and water retention (edema); for improving athletic performance in weight training; and for preventing cancer.
There is some evidence that vanadium might act like insulin, or help to increase the effects of insulin.
What food Vanadium is found in:
The uptake of vanadium by humans mainly takes place through foodstuffs, such as buckwheat, soya beans, olive oil, sunflower oil, apples and eggs.
The best food sources of vanadium are mushrooms, shellfish, black pepper, parsley, dill weed, beer, wine, grain and grain products, and artificially sweetened drinks.
What symptoms and disorders vanadium deficiency may cause:
Deficiency problems of vanadium have not been clearly shown in humans, though there is a suspicion that low vanadium can increase susceptibility to heart disease and cancer or lead to higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels, spinal degeneration, ankylosing spondylitis (with elevated molybdenum, calcium and magnesium), reduced growth and reproductive ability in animals, elevated cholesterol.
Problems related to excessive doses:
Vanadium has been thought to be essentially nontoxic in humans, possibly because of poor absorption. However, recent studies have revealed elevated levels of vanadium in patients with mania and depression.
Vanadium compounds are not regarded as serious hazard, however, workers exposed to vanadium peroxide dust were found to suffer severe eye, nose and throat irritation.
Vanadium can have a number of effects on human health, when the uptake is too high. When vanadium uptake takes places through air it can cause bronchitis and pneumonia.
The acute effects of vanadium are irritation of lungs, throat, eyes and nasal cavities.
Other health effects of vanadium uptake are:
• Cardiac and vascular disease
• Inflammation of stomach and intestines
• Damage to the nervous system
• Bleeding of livers and kidneys
• Skin rashes
• Severe trembling and paralyses
• Nose bleeds and throat pains
• Weakening
• Sickness and headaches
• Dizziness
• Behavioural changes
• fatigue
• green tongue
• trabecular bone loss
• arthritis
• aching bones, teeth, tonsils, ears, jaw; chronic colds.
Recommended daily allowances for people in the UK:
There is no RDA for vanadium in the UK but some sources suggest the following amounts:
Children 0 - 12 months - 10 years 10 - 50 mcg
Adults: 50 mcg - 100 mcg