Copper - Benefits, Deficiency Symptoms and Food Sources

What is Copper?

Copper is a trace mineral. Copper is the third most abundant trace mineral in the body. It is often deficient in a person's diet because of the food sources high in this mineral are not always eaten frequently. It is a one of the primary element in the production of melanin in the human body. Melanin is responsible for pigmentation in the eyes, hair and skin.

Copper rapidly enters the bloodstream and is distributed throughout the body after you eat or drink it. Other foods eaten with copper can affect the amount of copper that enters the bloodstream. Your body is very good at blocking high levels of copper from entering the bloodstream.

Uses and Benefits of Copper

In the human body, copper assists the utilization of iron. The copper balance is the body can be upset by extremely high intakes of high fiber diets, iron or vitamin C. Copper is essential for good health. However, exposure to higher doses can be harmful. Long-term exposure to copper dust can irritate your nose, mouth, and eyes, and cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and diarrhea.

Common benefits of copper are :-

• Help fight bone loss.
• Aids in maintaining fertility.
• Strengthens blood vessels, bones, tendons, and nerves.
• Helps make red blood cells.
• Helps body used its stored iron.
• Promotes healthy skin and hair pigmentation.
• May protect from damage by free radicals.

Recommended Dosage of Copper

• Infants and children—
• Birth to 3 years of age: 0.4 to 1 milligram (mg) per day.
• 4 to 6 years of age: 1 to 1.5 mg per day.
• 7 to 10 years of age: 1 to 2 mg per day.
• Adult males—1.5 to 2.5 mg per day.
• Adult females—1.5 to 3 mg per day.

Rich Food Sources of Copper

Food sources of copper are whole grain cereals, Nuts, Poultry and Prunes, soybeans, Tofu, Organ meats, Shellfish, Nuts, legumes Legumes, Oysters, Organ meats, Cherries, Dark chocolate, Fruits and leafy green vegetables.

Some more information on Copper

Approximately 50 percent of the body’s total copper content is found in the bones and muscles. Copper is a common treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis—because it helps promote healthy collagen in the body, copper may relieve aching joints and minimize loss in mineral bone density.

The liver does not secrete copper into the blood or excrete copper into the bile. Low blood levels, high in the brain, eyes and liver causes cirrhosis.