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Copper
and Health
 Copper
is essential to plant, animal and human health. Deficiencies, as well
as excesses, can be detrimental to health.
- In 1996,
a World Health Organization associated agency, the International Program
on Chemical Safety, concluded that "there is greater risk of health
effects from deficiency of copper intake than from excess copper intake."
- Copper
is important in: the maintenance of the immune function and bone strength;
the development of red and white blood cells; cholesterol and glucose
metabolism; homeostasis; protection against oxidative and inflammatory
damage; maintaining a healthy heart; transport and adsorption of iron;
and brain development.
- Certain
enzymes that are critical to the function of our body depend on copper.
- Copper
deficiency can cause problems. In children, copper deficiency can result
in retarded growth and development. In adults, it can result in a variety
of metabolic problems.
- Population
groups particularly at risk of having a copper deficiency are those
with poor diets.
- People
with rare genetic disorders such as Menke's Disease (where the body
has difficulty absorbing copper it needs), Wilson's Disease (where the
body has difficulty getting rid of copper it does not need) and Idiopathic
Copper Toxicosis (similar to the effects of Wilson's Disease) are susceptible
to copper deficiencies or excesses.
- In areas
that benefit from copper tubing as a means to transport water, copper
may be introduced in safe and minuscule amounts into the water. This
amount of copper can contribute to meeting dietary requirements.
- Copper
can kill or inhibit health threatening fungi, bacteria, and viruses,
including water-borne organisms.
How
much copper do we need?
The copper
content of an adult ranges from 50 to 120 milligram (mg). The average
dietary intake of copper by adults in some countries ranges from 0.9
to 2.2 mg per day (Source: International Program on Chemical Safety
(IPCS): Environmental Health Criteria for Copper, 1996. The IPCS is
a joint program managed by the United Nations Environment Program, World
Health Organization, and International Labour Organization).
In some
regions of the world, such as Europe and the United States, daily intakes
of copper are below recommended levels.
The World
Health Organization recommends the following daily intakes:
- Infants
from birth to six months: 130 to 200 micrograms of copper per kilogram
of body weight;
- Infants
of six months to 10 year old children: 80 to 120 micrograms of copper
per kilogram of body weight;
- Children
of 10 years and above, and adults: 30 to 60 micrograms of copper per
kilogram of body weight.
- While
the upper limit of acceptable oral intake is uncertain, the WHO suggests
that it is most likely in the range of several but not many milligrams
per day in adults (several meaning more than 2 or 3 mg per day.)
(Note: Individuals with the genetic disorders discussed earlier may
require different levels of copper.)
Sources
of dietary copper include liver and other organ meat, pork and beef,
vegetables (potatoes, peas, beans, lettuce and tomatoes), seafood (oysters,
shrimp, trout, flounder and tuna), chocolate, nuts, grains, seeds and
fruit. To meet infants' higher copper dietary requirement, most infant
formulas are supplemented with copper.
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