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Copper for Health
1. Copper is for everyone
Good health requires a diet adequate in protein,
carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Essential
trace minerals such as copper are necessary for the
growth, development, and maintenance of bone,
connective tissue, brain, heart and many other body
organs.
Copper is involved in the formation of red blood cells,
the absorption and utilization of iron, and the synthesis
and release of life-sustaining proteins and enzymes.
These enzymes in turn produce cellular energy and
regulate nerve transmission, blood clotting, and
oxygen transport.
Copper stimulates the immune system to fight
infections, repair injured tissues, and promote healing.
Copper also helps to neutralize “free-radicals” which
can cause severe damage to cells.
2. We can’t live without health and nutritional well-being of the individual.
Copper Individuals with chronic digestive problems may be
unable to absorb sufficient amounts of copper, even
though the foods they eat are copper-rich. Some
Copper and other essential trace minerals cannot forms of copper are not soluble in stomach acids
be formed by the human body. These minerals must and cannot be absorbed from the stomach or small
be ingested in the diet. The best dietary sources of intestine. Also, some foods may contain indigestible
copper include seafood (especially shellfish), organ fiber which binds with copper and prevents it from
meats (such as liver), whole grains, nuts, raisins, being absorbed. High intakes of Vitamin C, zinc, and
legumes (beans and lentils), and chocolate. Other iron can also decrease copper absorption.
food sources that contain copper include cereals,
potatoes, peas, red meat, mushrooms, some dark Can you have too little or too much copper?
green leafy vegetables (such as kale), and some
fruits (such as coconuts, papaya, and apples). Yes. If not enough copper is ingested, copper stores
Tea, rice, and chicken are relatively low in copper in the liver will be emptied and deficiency leading to
but provide a reasonable amount of copper to the disease or tissue injury (and in extreme cases, death)
body because they are consumed in significant can result. If too much copper is ingested, the excess
amounts. can become toxic, which can also lead to tissue
injury and disease. Between these two extremes,
Although the primary food sources for dietary copper however, the human body is remarkably capable of
vary regionally, geographically, and culturally, a balancing a wide range of copper intakes for the
balanced diet appears to provide an adequate needs of healthy individuals.
intake of copper for most people.
While both a deficiency and an excess of copper
In both developed and developing countries, adults, is very rare, the World Health Organization is more
young children, and adolescents who consume concerned with copper deficiency. Recently,
diets of grain, millet, tuber, or rice along with legumes concerns have been raised about marginal copper
(beans) or small amounts of fish or meat, some deficiency (i.e., deficiency that is not severe enough
fruits and vegetables, and some vegetable oil are to cause medically-detectable diseases or tissue
likely to obtain adequate copper if their total food injuries but may impair good health in subtle ways,
consumption is adequate in calories. In developed such as lowered resistance to infection, reproductive
countries where consumption of red meat is high, problems, general fatigue or weakness, impaired
copper intake is also likely to be adequate. brain function). More scientific research is needed to
evaluate the nature and extent of these concerns.
Does the body absorb copper easily from all
foods? How much copper do adults need?
No. The amount of copper available for absorption Various national and international organizations
depends on the chemical form of copper in the concerned with nutrition and health have standards
food, the composition of the total diet, and the for copper intake at levels judged to be adequate
3. for maintaining good health. These standards, or copper at birth than full-term infants.
dietary reference values, are periodically changed
and updated as new scientific data become The World Health Organization has recommended
available. similar minimum adequate intakes and advises that
premature infants be given formula supplemented
The standards sometimes differ among regions with extra copper to prevent the development of
and organizations. For example, the World Health copper deficiency.
Organization recommends a minimal acceptable
intake of approximately 1.3 mg/day. These values The best source of copper and other essential
are considered to be adequate and safe for most of micronutrients during the first year of life is human
the general population. Health benefits above the milk. If a full-term infant is not nursed, fortified
recommended adequate intake of 0.9 - 1.3 mg/ baby formula is highly recommended. Cow’s milk,
day have not been established. however, contains very low amounts of bioavailable
copper and should be supplemented with copper
Do pregnant women and mothers who during the first year of life.
breastfeed need more copper?
Are any diseases associated with too much
Yes. Copper sufficiency in the fetus and in infants or too little copper?
is essential for normal growth and development.
Nature has devised a way for the fetus to get copper There are several very rare genetic-based diseases
from the mother via the placenta and for infants to that are associated with the body’s inability to
get copper via breast milk. remove (Wilson’s Disease) or absorb (Menkes Disease)
copper. These diseases are inherited and cannot be
For these reasons, pregnancy and nursing increase acquired by non-susceptible persons.
the body’s need for copper. The recommended
oral intake in pregnant and nursing women is slightly Interestingly, the study of these diseases and the
higher than for non-pregnant, non-nursing healthy proteins produced by the Wilson’s and Menkes
women (approximately 1 mg/day for pregnant genes have enabled scientists around the world to
women and 1.3 mg/day for nursing mothers aged understand how our bodies use copper and why
14-50 years). it is important as an essential micronutrient. This
knowledge is also leading scientists towards possible
Can infants become deficient in copper? cures for these diseases.
Yes. Full-term and premature infants are more Idopathic Copper Toxicosis (ICT), the third genetic
sensitive to copper deficiency than adults. A copper copper metabolic disease, was recognized in the
deficiency can create numerous health problems, early twentieth century primarily in the Tyrolean region
including impaired brain development. Since the of Austria and in the Pune region of India. ICT appears
fetus accumulates copper during the last 3 months to be vanishing as a result of greater genetic diversity
of pregnancy, infants that are born prematurely have within these populations and educational programs
not had sufficient time to store adequate reserves to ensure that tinned cooking utensils are used. Only
of copper in their livers and therefore require more occasional spontaneous cases of ICT arise today.
