Copper

Requirements:

• FDA:
  
  2 - 3 mg. for adults
  1 - 1.5 mg. for children
• Daily Optimal Intake:
  
  2 - 3 mg. for adults

Supplement Forms:

• Copper aspartate - good absorption
• Copper citrate - good absorption
• Copper gluconate
• Copper sulfate - irritating to the digestive tract
• Individual or included in multi vitamin or mineral

Labs:

• RBC SOD activity - best test for copper
• Urine, hair, serum ceruloplasmin too variable or still experimental

Food Sources:

• Brazils
• Cashews
• Dried fruits
• Mushrooms
• Organ meats
• Sesame seeds
• Shellfish
• Walnuts
• Yeast

Signs and Symptoms of Deficiency:

• Abnormal connective tissue
• Anemia (microcytic, hypochromic)
• CNS disturbances
• Decreased HDL
• Depigmentation and defective keratinization of hair
• Hypothermia
• Increased blood cholesterol
• Increased LDL
• Leukopenia
• Neutropenia
• Osteoporosis

Causes of Deficiency:

• Consumption of processed foods
• Decreased intake
• High dietary fructose
• High zinc intake
• Infant formulas using cow's milk
• Menke's kinky hair

Adverse Effects and Toxicity:

• Chronic large doses of copper may cause cirrhosis of the liver
• Depression
• In children - diarrhea
• Insomnia
• Joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Poor memory
• Toxicity rarely seen except with Wilson's disease or from contaminated water

Contraindications:

• Migraine headaches

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Copper and zinc compete for absorption
• Large doses of vitamin C may lower serum copper
• NSAIDS and penicillamine may promote copper deficiency

Biochemical Functions:

• Cofactor for dopamine
• Cofactor for enzyme lysyl oxidase, which is needed for normal collagen and elastin formation
• Cofactor for estrogen breakdown
• Cofactor for norepinephrine and epinephrine production
• Cofactor for tyrosinase
• Cofactor for super oxide desmutase
• Required for cytochrome C oxidase
• Required for fat metabolism
• Required for myelin formation
• Required in iron mobilization from the liver

Clinical Indications:

• Aging prevention - to be used with zinc
• AIDS
• Allergies - to be used with zinc
• Amenorrhea
• Anorexia nervosa
• Aphthous stomatitis - to be used with zinc
• Atherosclerosis - to be used with zinc
• Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) - to be used with zinc
• Bronchitis - to be used with zinc
• Cancer prevention - to be used with zinc
• Candidiasis - to be used with zinc
• Cataract prevention - to be used with zinc
• Chronic fatigue syndrome - to be used with zinc
• Crohn's disease - to be used with zinc
• Diabetes mellitus - to be used with zinc
• Eczema - to be used with zinc
• Fertility/Infertility
• Fibrocystic breast disease - to be used with zinc
• Fibromyalgia - to be used with zinc
• Hemorrhoids - to be used with zinc
• Hepatitis - to be used with zinc
• Herpes simplex - to be used with zinc
• Hypothyroidism - to be used with zinc
• Impotence - to be used with zinc
• Irritable bowel syndrome - to be used with zinc
• Macular degeneration - to be used with zinc
• Mastitis - to be used with zinc
• Multiple sclerosis - to be used with zinc
• Osteoarthritis - to be used with zinc
• Osteoporosis - to be used with zinc
• Otitis media - to be used with zinc
• Peptic ulcer - to be used with zinc
• PMS - to be used with zinc
• Psoriasis - to be used with zinc
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Rosacea - to be used with zinc
• Schizophrenia
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• Ulcerative colitis - to be used with zinc
• Uterine fibroid - to be used with zinc
• Aortic aneurysm
• Bone healing
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Neutropenia
• Vitiligo

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).