Q.I am quite allergic to the sulfites that are used as preservatives in salad bars, wine, and dried fruit. Do you have any suggestions?

A. You may be suffering from peripheral vascular disease. This term is the medical term used to describe decreased blood flow to the lower extremities. Check with your doctor about the diagnosis.

The trace mineral molybdenum might help. Molybdenum functions as a component in several enzymes, including those involved in alcohol detoxification, uric acid formation, and sulfur metabolism. Molybdenum deficiency manifests itself as an inability to detoxify sulfites, because the enzyme that detoxifies sulfites, sulfite oxidase, is molybdenum dependent. In one study, molybdenum supplementation brought about complete resolution of symptoms of sulfite toxicity, such as increased heart rate, shortness of breath, headache, disorientation, nausea, and vomiting. Since this study, a molybdenum deficiency has been suggested as a cause for sulfite sensitivities.

In addition to molybdenum’s role in detoxifying sulfites, population studies and experimental findings have implicated molybdenum deficiency as a factor in some forms of cancer. For example, in the United States, there is a 30% increase in esophageal cancer in areas where there is no molybdenum in the drinking water. Animal studies have shown that the addition of molybdenum to drinking water significantly inhibits chemically induced esophageal cancer. Presumably the anticancer effects of molybdenum are the result of its role in the detoxification of cancer-causing chemicals.

There is no official recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for molybdenum, but the estimated range recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board as safe and adequate is 75–250 mcg per day for adults.