Copper Deficiency
Recommended Amounts of Copper
The recommended daily allowance was established by the food and nutrition board, and is used for the general term of reference for a healthy diet. These guidelines include the average daily intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%-98%) healthy individuals. The adequate intake established when evidence is insufficient to develop and recommended daily allowance, but is still set to allow for a person to get nutritional adequacy.
There is no recommended daily allowance, according to the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of National Academies. According to the Mayo Clinic there are normal daily recommended intakes which have been generally defined, and these intakes are as following: age zero to three years male 0.4 to 1 mg per day, age zero to three years female 0.4 to 1 mg per day, age four years to six years male 1 to 1.5 mg per day, age four years to six years female 1 to 1.5 mg per day, age seven years to ten years male 1 to 2 mg per day, age seven years to ten years female 1 to 2 mg per day, age 11 years or older male 1.5 to 2.5 mg per day, and age 11 or older female 1.5 to 3 mg per day.
These recommendations are those of which are generally accepted for copper; however, there are no set recommended amounts for copper at this time.
Copper Deficiency
There are certain conditions which can increase the body’s need for copper. These conditions include: burns, diarrhea, intestine disease, kidney disease, pancreas disease, stomach removal, and continual stress.
A lack of proper copper in a diet can lead to a deficiency in the body. A prolonged deficiency of copper can lead to many disorders. One of the common disorders is a syndrome of anemia or pancytopenia. This disorder can lead to a neurodegenerative syndrome in humans. The most common anemia associated with copper deficiency is the disorder known as swayback. This disorder will cause those affected to develop ataxia and spasticity.
Most of the current information about copper deficiency comes from the study of animals. The number of cases of copper deficiency in humans is very low.
Copper Toxicity
There is a real problem with copper toxicity. Too much copper can have an adverse affect on the amount of zinc in the body, and likewise too much zinc will limit the amounts of copper the body is able to metabolize. Therefore a person needs to be very conscious of the levels of both copper and zinc which they are putting into their bodies.
There are other serious consequences which occur because of too much copper in the body. The causes of excessive amounts of copper in the body may include environmental sources. Unclean drinking water or drinking water which is close to a source of copper tailings can cause there to be an increase of copper in the population drinking the water. Also spicy foods which are prepared on an uncoated copper surface can also lead to an increase and possible toxicity of copper.
An excess of copper toxicity can lead to copper poisoning. The effect of copper poisoning is very similar to those produced by arsenic. The suggested upper limit for copper in the human diet from all sources is 10 mg per day.
There have been studies which indicated that excessive amounts of copper may be a sign of the body aging, or the body suffering from a serious long term disease. It has been discovered that people suffering from mental illnesses such as schizophrenia have much higher levels of copper in their system. Researchers are still asking for more time to try and see if there really is a connection between higher levels of copper and serious diseases.
How to Get Enough Copper in a Diet
A balance of copper is needed in the diet. As explained about copper and zinc levels in the body is connected. Too much of one will lead to a deficiency in the other. Yet, it is important for the body to have the proper amounts of both minerals in order to function properly.
Supplementation of minerals is a good way to ensure the body has enough of the vitamins and minerals it requires in order to be healthy. One of the major problems which can occur with supplementation is too much of any given mineral or nutrient. This normally occurs when a person disregards the recommended dosage instructions on the side of the supplement bottle, or when a person purchases a multivitamin from a less than reputable distributor.
There are many vitamin and supplement companies which do not provide a quality product to their customers. These low brand vitamins can be very detrimental to the health of the users. Research into quality vitamin companies is recommended before the purchase of any supplementation is made. In this way a person can get the nutrients their body needs, and takes step towards hopefully improving their overall health.
