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Copper

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Copper

Info
Dosage (RDI)
Men – 1.7mg/day
Women – 1.2mg/day
Safe upper limit: 10mg/day
Absorption location
  • Duodenum 
  • Stomach (lesser absorbed)
*Most absorbed copper is excreted
*Absorption is increased by ingestion of animal protein
Forms
Active forms:
  • Cuprous
  • Cupric
Supplements:
  • Copper citrate
  • Copper gluconate
  • Copper sulfate
  • Cupric oxide
  • Cupric sulfate
Storage Sites
  • Primarily liver
  • Muscle
  • Bone
Uses
Deficiency symptoms
  • Anemia 
  • Neutropenia
  • Leucopenia
  • Osteoporosis
  • Arthritis
  • Glucose tolerance
  • Altered immunity
  • Infant illness
    • Low birth weight
    • Muscle weaknesses
    • Neurological problems
  • Myeloneuropathy
Causes of deficiency
  • Excessive long term intake of zinc
  • Haemodialysis
  • High iron intake
  • Infants on strictly cows milk
  • Malabsorption syndromes
  • Menkes disease
    • Kinky hair
    • Growth failure
    • Nervous system deterioration
Therapeutic uses
  • Supplementation for infants showing deficiency 
  • Anaemia patients on iron supplements
  • Those supplementing zinc
  • Osteoporosis
Sources
Food
  • Nuts
  • Liver
  • Oysters
  • Cocoa
  • Shellfish
  • Egg yolk
  • Brewers yeast
Roles
Roles
  • Antioxidant defence
  • Infant growth
  • Bone strength 
  • RBC, WBC maturation
  • Iron transport
  • Cholesterol metabolism
  • Glucose metabolism
  • Myocardial contraction
  • Brain development
More
Diagnosing Deficiency
  • RBC, serum ceruloplasmin
  • Elevated urinary HVA/VMA ratio, bone resorption markers
Interactions
  • PPI’s (increased requirement)
  • Zinc (high doses) can impair copper balance
  • Penacillamine (decreases drug absorption) 
Toxicity
  • Wilson’s disease (inherited)
    • Kayser-Fleisher rings around eyes (brown rings around iris)
    • Jaundice
    • Fatigue
    • Swelling of liver or spleen
  • GI disturbances
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhoea
  • Vomiting
Notes
  • At birth, a healthy infant has 4 times the amount of copper than an adult. It uses these copper stores rapidly after birth.
  • Copper may accumulate in the brains of Alzheimers patients, although this is not know if it is a cause or a result of the disease.
Braun, L., & Cohen, M. (2015). Herbs and Natural Supplements, Volume 2. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Hechtman, L. (2018). Clinical Naturopathic Medicine. Elsevier Health Sciences. 
Osiecki, H. (2010). The Nutrient Bible (8th ed.). Bio Concepts Publishing.
Categories: Nutrition