What is Copper?
Megan Ware RDN LD at MedicalNewsToday says,
“Copper is an essential nutrient for the body. Together with Iron, it enables the body to form red blood cells. It helps maintain healthy bones, blood vessels, nerves, and immune function, and it contributes to iron absorption”. (1)
Using food sources for your daily nutritional needs should be your prefered method to attain a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle.
According to MedlinePlus, food sources of copper include:
“Oysters and other shellfish, whole grains, beans, nuts, potatoes, and organ meats (kidneys, liver). Dark leafy greens, dried fruits such as prunes, cocoa, black pepper, and yeast are also sources of copper in the diet”. (2)
Copper can also be found in sprouted alfalfa seeds, Sunflower seeds, Barley grass, bee pollen and beetroot.
For tyrosine and phenylalanine to be converted into dopamine, they require specific vitamins and minerals one of them being Copper.
Proven Health Benefits of Copper
It helps with
- Connective tissues
- Iron transport in the body
- Skin pigmentation and Hair pigmentation
- Protection of cells from oxidative stress
What are the Benefits?
1) Connective tissues
It may help to maintain healthy connective tissues. This means that it is essential for the processes involving the maintenance of the connective tissues present in the skin. A deficiency may cause poor skin healing.
2) Iron transport in the body
It may assist with iron transport in the body. This means that while anaemia is a condition associated mainly with Iron deficiency, insufficient amounts of Copper may cause the same symptoms because the Iron is present, but not being efficiently utilised. Copper is needed for conversion of Iron to haemoglobin.
3) It may help to maintain skin pigmentation and hair pigmentation
Skin pigmentation and normal hair pigmentation. A deficiency could result in going grey prematurely or difficulty in keeping a tanned look to the skin. A supplement could help to avoid a deficiency.
4) Protection of cells from oxidative stress
It has an ‘antioxidant’ action which could protect cells from damage. ‘Free radicals’ that are created because of intense exercise can cause muscle damage that can slow down recovery. It may help to protect against this, leading to shorter rest periods between training sessions.
Copper synergy and works well with
- Zinc – for recovery from exercise
- Tyrosine – for healthy hair and skin pigmentation.
- Vitamin C, Glucosamine and Manganese for Arthritis type conditions.
- Iron and Vitamin C for anaemia.
- Vitamins C and Vitamin E for the healing of wounds and to protect against oxidative stress
According to the UK National Health Service:
“Adults (19-64 years) need 1.2mg of Copper a day. You should be able to get all the Copper you need from your daily diet”. (3)
Supplementing with zinc may help to reduce dietary absorption of Copper. Sometimes zinc tablets have Copper added to them, which is to help prevent this problem.
Some things to consider
People with Wilson’s disease (which is a cause of too much copper intake) should never take Copper. A deficiency of copper may lead to anaemia, osteoporosis, loss of skin pigmentation and thyroid problems.
Resources
Last accessed online 18/04/2020
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288165
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002419.htm
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/#copper
