Create an evidence-based counseling point contrasting manganese with magnesium for a patient confused about the two minerals. Which counseling statement best synthesizes their differences relevant to a typical diet?

• A. Magnesium is purely a trace toxin at any dietary concentration and should always be avoided, while manganese is the primary electrolyte that replaces sodium and potassium in diets.
• B. Manganese and magnesium are functionally identical and interchangeable, so dietary advice should treat them as a single nutrient with one combined RDA irrespective of food sources.
• C. Magnesium is only required during infancy whereas manganese is only required in adulthood; therefore adults should only focus on manganese-rich foods and ignore magnesium.
• D. Both are cofactors for metabolic enzymes, but magnesium is a major mineral important for electrolytic balance and is needed in much higher amounts, while manganese is a trace mineral (RDA ~1.8–2.3 mg) commonly obtained from whole grains, nuts, and legumes and is only toxic at very high supplemental or industrial exposures.

Answer: (D)