[The nutritional importance and physiopathology of molybdenum in man]

Molybdenum is an essential trace element taking part in the active site of three human enzymes: xanthine oxidase, aldehyde oxidase and sulfite oxidase, playing a role in the detoxification of the organism and/or the production of important intermediary products. The perturbation of the first two enzymes has no established clinical consequence, but a decrease in activity of the third one is harmful for the organism, particularly the nervous system during pre- or post-natal development. The anomalies in the function of these enzymes are generally inherited and linked to the impaired production of the molybdenum cofactor, an organic molecule complexed to the element in the active site. However, several pathological cases in animals and one case in man have been clearly attributed to molybdenum deficiency. It is the reason why molybdenum supplementation has been recommended in long term total parenteral nutrition in infants and adults.