Copper is an essential trace mineral, and deficiency in humans is rare. Frank copper deficiency will cause anemia, neutropenia (deficiency in the number of neutrophils – a type of white blood cell) and osteoporosis. Mild copper deficiency will result in arthritis, abnormal glucose tolerance, increased cholesterol in the blood, myocardial (heart muscle) disease and arrythmias (abnormal rate of heart contraction). There is some experimental indication that supplemental copper may have some anti-cancer effects, and may also boost immunity in those with marginal deficiency. About 70% of copper in food is lost when it is processed. Good sources are oysters, shellfish, sardines, sunflower seeds, peanuts, mushrooms and prunes. The estimated safe and adequate dietary intake (ESADDI) in adults is 1.5 – 3.0 mg per day.
Abstracts:
The immune system requires copper to perform several functions…….Some of the recent research showed that interleukin 2 is reduced in copper deficiency and is likely the mechanism by which T cell proliferation is reduced…….The number of neutrophils in human peripheral blood is reduced in cases of severe copper deficiency. Not only are they reduced in number, but their ability to generate superoxide anion and kill ingested microorganisms is also reduced in both overt and marginal copper deficiency.
§ Percival, SS. (1998). Copper and immunity. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67, 1064-8.
Cu appears to have many important functional roles in the body that apparently relate, among others, to the maintenance of immune function, bone health and haemostasis. Some have suggested a role for long-term marginal Cu deficiency in the aetiology of a number of degenerative diseases. Accurate diagnosis of marginal Cu deficiency, however, has remained elusive despite an increased understanding of the biochemistry of Cu and its physiological roles in the body.…….As Cu appears to be essential for maintenance of immune function, activities of specific immunological markers, altered in Cu deficiency, offer alternatives. This review evaluates a selection of immunological markers that could be considered potentially sensitive markers of marginal Cu status. The indices of immune function reviewed are neutrophil function, interleukin 2 production, blastogenic response to mitogens and lymphocyte subset phenotyping.
§ Bonham, M, O'Connor, JM, Hannigan, BM, & Strain, JJ. (2002). The Immune system as a physiological indicator of marginal copper status?. Br J Nutr, 87(5), 393-403.
Animal and human studies have shown that copper is involved in the function of several enzymes. Studies have also shown that copper is required for infant growth, host defense mechanisms, bone strength, red and white cell maturation, iron transport, cholesterol and glucose metabolism, myocardial contractility, and brain development.…….Other, less frequent manifestations are hypopigmentation of the hair, hypotonia, impaired growth, increased incidence of infections, alterations of phagocytic capacity of the neutrophils, abnormalities of cholesterol and glucose metabolism, and cardiovascular alterations.
§ Olivares, M, & Uauy, R. (1996). Copper as an essential nutrient. Am J Clin Nutr, 63(5), 791-6.
We have previously shown that dietary copper deficiency augments neutrophil accumulation in the lung microvasculature. The current study was designed to determine whether a diet deficient in copper promotes neutrophil chemoattraction within the lung vasculature or if it alters the mechanical properties of the neutrophil, thus restricting passage through the microvessels……..Because most neutrophils must deform during passage from arterioles to venules in the lungs, we propose that copper-deficient neutrophils accumulate in the lung because they are less deformable.
§ Gordon, SA, Lominadze, D, Saari, JT, Lentsch, AB, & Schuschke, DA. (2005). Impaired deformability of copper-deficient neutrophils. Exp Biol Med (Maywood), 230(8), 543-8.
Adequate intakes of vitamins and trace elements are required for the immune system to function efficiently. Micronutrient deficiency suppresses immune functions by affecting the innate T-cell-mediated immune response and adaptive antibody response, and leads to dysregulation of the balanced host response. This increases the susceptibility to infections, with increased morbidity and mortality…….Antioxidant vitamins and trace elements (vitamins C, E, selenium, copper, and zinc) counteract potential damage caused by reactive oxygen species to cellular tissues and modulate immune cell function…….
§ Wintergerst, ES, Maggini, S, & Hornig, DH. (2007). Contribution of selected vitamins and trace elements to immune function. Ann Nutr Metab, 51(4), 301-23.
Copper deficiency myelopathy (CDM) is an increasingly recognised mimic of subacute combined degeneration (SCD) of the cord due to cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency. It has been suggested that copper deficiency induces myelopathy through dysfunction of cytochrome oxidase, which is known to be copper-dependent…….Both animal and human data suggest that methionine synthase also requires copper, implying that the enzyme may be involved in the pathogenesis of CDM……Another enzyme involved in the methylation cycle, S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, may be regulated by copper.
Winston, GP, & Jaiser, SR. (2008). Copper deficiency myelopathy and subacute combined degeneration of the cord - why is the phenotype so similar?. Med Hypotheses, 71(2), 229-36.