What Is Molybdenum?
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says molybdenum is an essential trace element that is naturally present in many foods and is also available as a dietary supplement, that the top sources of molybdenum in US diets are legumes, cereal grains, leafy vegetables, beef liver and milk, and lists a tolerable upper intake level of 2,000 mcg a day for adults 19 and older.
USGS says molybdenum is a refractory metallic element used principally as an alloying agent in cast iron, steel and superalloys, and in chemical applications including catalysts, lubricants and pigments. For drinking water, an EPA summary of its third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule says the 2012 Health Advisories Table (40 µg/L) and the Contaminant Candidate List 4 information sheets (35 µg/L) have slightly different reference values for molybdenum due to rounding. The NIOSH Pocket Guide lists an OSHA permissible exposure limit for molybdenum of 15 mg/m3 as a time-weighted average, which also applies to other insoluble molybdenum compounds.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says molybdenum is an essential trace element naturally present in many foods and available as a supplement. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements ↗
- Government sourceThe NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says the top sources of molybdenum in US diets are legumes, cereal grains, leafy vegetables, beef liver and milk. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements ↗
- Government sourceThe NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists a tolerable upper intake level for molybdenum of 2,000 mcg a day for adults 19 and older. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements ↗
- Government sourceUSGS says molybdenum is used mainly as an alloying agent in cast iron, steel and superalloys, and in catalysts, lubricants and pigments. US Geological Survey ↗
- Regulatory filingAn EPA summary gives drinking water reference values for molybdenum of 40 µg/L and 35 µg/L, differing only by rounding. US EPA ↗
- Regulatory filingThe NIOSH Pocket Guide lists an OSHA limit for molybdenum of 15 mg/m3 as a time-weighted average, also applying to insoluble molybdenum compounds. NIOSH, CDC ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.