Manganese is a mineral salt that is found in several foods including nuts, legumes, seeds, tea, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables. It is considered an essential nutrient, because the body requires it to function properly. Manganese is used for prevention and treatment of manganese deficiency, a condition in which the body doesn’t have enough manganese. It is also used for weak bones (osteoporosis), a type of “tired blood” (anemia), and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Manganese is sometimes included with chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride in multi-ingredient products promoted for osteoarthritis.

Sphinganine is a naturally occurring, skin-identical sphingoid base, a representative of the class of amino alcohols, or long chain bases (LCBs). Sphinganine is a blocker postlysosomal cholesterol transport by inhibition of low-density lipoprotein-induced esterification of cholesterol and cause unesterified cholesterol to accumulate in perinuclear vesicles. It has been suggested the possibility that endogenous sphinganine may inhibit cholesterol transport in Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC) disease. Sphinganine is a potent inhibitor of 5-α-reductase type I that prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, a key factor of androgenetic male baldness. As a cosmetic ingredient, sphinganine is well suited as a topical alternative for the improvement of scalp health and hair quality and anti-hair loss application. Sphinganine promotes differentiation and ceramide production in keratinocytes. Free sphinganine may serve as a dermatological and cosmetic agent by enhancing formation and maintenance of an intact epidermal lipid barrier, with beneficial effects for skin and hair care applications.