› Copper deficiency
Hypocupremia is the medical term for low copper levels or copper deficiency. Copper is a trace element, essential for many of the body activities, and the body needs it in small amounts. Two-thirds of copper in the body is in the bone tissue, and the rest is concentrated in organs with high activity including the brain, liver, kidney, and heart. Copper is a cofactor, which means it contributes to enzyme activity in metabolic reactions, and these enzymes cannot work without copper. There are at least 12 enzymes that require copper to works properly. These enzymes are called cuproenzymes. Ancient Egyptians used copper to cover the wound as they believed to stimulate and speed up wound healing.
As a cofactor, copper is responsible for a lot of different body functions, such as fetal development, collagen stabilisation, and connective tissue formation. It is essential for different system functions like the nervous system, circulatory system, and bone health. Copper deficiency is a rare condition, which is why we should increase our knowledge about this mineral, as its symptoms may be easily overlooked.
› Copper benefits
Copper is an essential mineral and a cofactor for many of the body metabolism, especially the nervous system and the heart.
Here are some copper benefits:
1. Maintains skin and hair health
For the skin, it improves the appearance of dry skin, speeds up the healing process of wounds, fights acne and reduces the signs of premature aging. Copper improves acne, reduces wrinkles and pigmentation, and boosts collagen and hydration.
For the hair, it helps repair and builds tissues as a part of its antioxidant properties. It stimulates the growth and blood circulation in the scalp and promotes restoration of damaged hair follicles, which results in healthy hair and reduces the rate of split ends, dandruff, and hair loss.
2. Acts as antioxidant
Antioxidants are substances that reduce and remove harmful molecules from cells to protect them from aging and degeneration. It delays the aging processes, reducing the incidence of premature aging, the appearance of wrinkles, and protecting against cancers because it supports cell growth and differentiation.
3. Protects against anemia
Copper is an essential element inside red blood cells because each red blood cell contains 61 µg of copper. It increases iron absorption from the intestine and acts as a cofactor for the enzymes responsible for red blood cell formation.
4. Boosts energy
It is an essential mineral in red blood cells, which deliver the oxygen to the rest of the body. It is also an essential mineral for the ATP production cycle. ATP is the main energy source in the cells and the body.
5. Boosts immune system
Copper is responsible for the activation of certain enzymes that have a significant role in immune cell proliferation and maturation and help fight bacteria, viruses, and other foreign bodies.
It is also directly responsible for the production and proliferation of neutrophils, white blood cells and the first line of defence in white blood cells. Studies show that copper deficiency is combined with a reduction of interleukin, responsible for T white blood cell proliferation.
6. Important for bone health
Copper is responsible for collagen formation, which is an essential component inside the bone. It prevents calcium and phosphate loss from bone as a part of its antioxidant properties. Copper has a significant role in calcium deposition in the bone and protects against osteoporosis because studies show a connection between low copper levels and the incidence of osteoporosis.
› Copper deficiency symptoms
The deficiency of copper affects the most active organs in the body, including the brain, heart, liver, Kidney, and skin.
Here are some copper deficiency symptoms:
• Alzheimer disease
Research shows that copper deficiency is linked to brain cell damage, which may increase the incidence of Alzheimer’s diseases. It also shows that people with Alzheimer’s disease are copper deficient.
• Anemia
Studies show that copper deficiency affects the number and the appearance of red blood cells, causing anemia resembles iron deficiency anemia. For this reason, copper anemia is overlooked as iron deficiency anemia.
• Peripheral neuritis
It is a disease characterised by neuropathy or affection of the nerves, especially at the fingers of the hands and the toes of the legs. In copper deficiency, studies show that it is caused by increasing the free radicals resulting from decreasing antioxidant activity in the body.
• Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a skin condition characterised by white skin patches different from normal skin tone. When copper levels drop, it may affect the melanin levels production leading to vitiligo. That is because copper is a cofactor of the Tyrosinase enzyme, which is responsible for body pigments known as melanin.
• Fatigue
As mentioned before, copper is important for energy production because it promotes oxygen delivery to the cells and ATP production inside them. With a copper deficiency, the oxygen delivery will reduce because of anemia and the ATP because of low copper levels, which will lead to fatigue.
• Frequent infection
The skin is the first line of defence against infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Copper deficiency affects the integrity of the skin by low collagen and skin cell proliferation, which causes frequent infections. So, if you are getting sick easily, you may need to check your copper levels in the blood.
• Ataxia
Ataxia is a neurological disease characterized by abnormal and unpredictable body movements. Copper is responsible for nerve cell proliferation and nerve impulse conduction. Studies show that copper deficiency affects the chemical transmitters in the brain, nerve cells, brain cells and nerve impulses, which will cause neuromyopathy in the form of Ataxia.
› Dietary sources of copper
Copper can be found in many foods such as beef kidney, beef liver, oysters, squid, quinoa, spirulina, shiitake mushroom, lobster, almonds, dark chocolate, cashew, swiss chard, lentils, spinach, chickpeas, prunes, chia seeds, black pepper, kale, yeast, goat cheese, soybeans, cocoa powder, peanuts, avocado, hazelnuts, sesame seeds, walnut, and raisins.
Here are some of the highest copper sources and the amount of copper in 100 grams of each source:
- Beef liver: 4.49 mg, 641% of the daily copper intake
- Shiitake mushrooms: 1.29 mg, 184% of the daily copper intake
- Cashews: 0.62 mg, 88% of the daily copper intake
- Chickpeas: 0.58 mg, 82% of the daily copper intake
- Kale: 0.48 mg, 68% of the daily copper intake- Cocoa powder: 0.41 mg, 58% of the daily copper intake
- Sesame seeds: 0.36 mg, 51% of the daily copper intake
- Quinoa: 0.36 mg, 50% of the daily copper intake
- Almonds: 0.29 mg, 41% of the daily copper intake
- Lentils: 0.27 mg, 39% of the daily copper intake
- Chia seeds: 0.26 mg, 37% of the daily copper intake
- Goat cheese: 0.16 mg, 23% of the daily copper intake
- Avocado: 0.12 mg, 17% of the daily copper intake
- Raisins: 0.09 mg, 13% of the daily copper intake
› The daily recommendation of copper
Daily recommendations of copper differ according to age, sex, daily activity, the person’s status of health, metabolic and medical conditions. But, the recommended copper amount according to the World Health Organization (WHO) is
- From birth to 6 months: 200 μg
- Infants from 7 to 12 months: 200 μg
- Children from 1 to 3 years: 340 μg
- Children from 4 to 8 years: 440 μg
- Children from 9 to 13 years: 700 μg
- Teens from 14 to 18 years: 890 μg
- adults from 19 years and older: 900 μg
- pregnant and breastfeeding teens and women from 14 years and older: 1000 μg
People at risk of copper deficiency may need more than the daily copper recommendation.
› Normal copper levels
Normal copper levels in the blood test are 70-140 μg/dl (microgram per deciliter). Doctors can diagnose copper deficiency with a copper blood test when copper levels are below 70 μg/dl.
› Risk factors of copper deficiency
• Low copper intake
Low dietary intake is rare because copper can be found almost in every food around us. People in starvation, famine, or homeless may suffer from low copper intake along with other nutrient deficiencies.
• Celiac disease
It is a disease characterised by the inability to digest gluten, which is the protein in wheat. Studies show that people who undergo a gluten-free diet and have celiac diseases are at risk of developing copper deficiency along with other mineral deficiencies because of the inability to absorb them by the intestine.
• Gut surgery
Patients who undergo surgery in the upper section of the digestive system, including the esophagus, stomach, the first, and the second part of the intestine are at a higher risk of suffering from copper deficiency. Copper is absorbed after getting in contact with stomach acid, in the first section of the intestine.
• Total parenteral nutrition
Total parenteral nutrition means that the patient receives all of his nutrition through the veins. Copper deficiency occurs in these patients because the total parenteral nutrition is devoted to copper, which should be taken as a supplement during this period.
• High levels of zinc supplements
Zinc and copper are absorbed in the same area of the intestines, which causes competing between them and reduces their absorption. People who take more than the recommended zinc supplements take zinc supplements along with copper supplements or copper-rich food may suffer from copper deficiency.
• Menkes Disease
It is a rare disease caused by gene mutation, more common in females, which will affect copper absorption. Children with Menkes disease die at the age of three if not treated. Early copper supplements will reduce the symptoms of the disease and improve patient outcomes.
› Prevention of copper deficiency
- Eat food that rich in copper such as beef kidney, beef liver, oysters, squid, quinoa, spirulina, shiitake mushroom, lobster, almonds, dark chocolate, cashew, swiss chard, lentils, spinach, chickpeas, prunes, chia seeds, black pepper, kale, yeast, goat cheese, soybeans, cocoa powder, peanuts, avocado, hazelnuts, sesame seeds, walnut, and raisins.
- Use copper supplements, especially with people how are at risk of copper deficiency as Menkes disease, total parental nutrition, upper GIT surgery, celiac disease.
- Zinc supplements should be taken under doctor supervision as high levels from it may lead to copper deficiency.
› Treatment of copper deficiency
You should elevate copper levels in the blood by working on the same points as in the prevention of copper deficiency. You can ask your doctor, as he may recommend copper supplements to increase its levels. Copper supplements are available over the counter, and for most adults, the recommended daily allowance is 900 μg for adults.
Always ask your doctor before taking supplements, even if it is available over the counter. Copper supplements over 1 gram may cause kidney failure and may lead to death.
Signs of copper overdose include nausea, vomiting, fever, and low blood pressure.