# Is There any Human Nutritional Need for Tin?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-human-nutritional-need-for-tin/477330>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 16, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-human-nutritional-need-for-tin/477330 "2008-12-16T01:38:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-human-nutritional-need-for-tin/477330/1 "2008-12-16T01:38:51Z")

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Humans require many different elements for survival-copper, molybdenum, chromium, etc. Is there any need for tin? And, if so, what are the symptoms of tin deficiency?

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**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-human-nutritional-need-for-tin/477330/2 "2008-12-16T02:04:10Z")

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I cannot find any nutritional benefit to tin in the human diet which is even generally accepted.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-human-nutritional-need-for-tin/477330/3 "2008-12-16T02:15:45Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> The occurrence of tin in plants, animals and humans is discussed in relation to its abundance in the lithosphere and hydrosphere and the range of different tin(II) and tin(IV) complexes formed. A reasoned consideration of the essentiality or otherwise of tin for living species is given and it is concluded that tin is beneficial even if not yet proved to be an essential element.

Source: [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/109566585/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0](http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/109566585/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0)

Also referenced here: [[Tin compounds in pharmacy and nutrition] - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11192741?dopt=Abstract)

Does this help to start a search by any Doper nutritionists?  
Of course, I have no dog in this issue. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-human-nutritional-need-for-tin/477330/4 "2008-12-16T03:14:00Z")

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That article is in Hungarian, and seems not to be available via even my university. When I search for other articles, I find a definite scarcity of peer-reviewed articles claiming that tin has nutritional value.