efficiency was lower for lacto-ovo vegetarians than for
nonvegetarians. The study also showed that the
increased amounts of copper in the vegetarian diets
allow for greater copper content.
Besides dietary causes, certain diseases or condi-
tions may reduce copper absorption, transport or
increase its requirements, resulting in abnormally low
copper blood levels. Increased copper intake through
diet or supplementation may be necessary in the fol-
lowing conditions:
premature infants fed only cow’s milk
pregnant women
malnutrition
celiac disease, sprue, cystic fibrosis, or short-bowel
syndrome (these diseases cause poor absorption of
dietary copper)
kidney disease
high consumption of zinc or iron (these minerals
interfere with copper absorption)
highly processed foods (copper is stripped away dur-
ing food processing)
Menkes syndrome (copper deficiency is caused by
genetic defects of copper transport; Menkes syn-
drome patients cannot use copper supplied by the
diet efficiently)
Symptoms of copper deficiency include:
anemia
malnourished infants
prominently dilated veins
pale hair or skin
poorly formed bones
nervous system disordershigh cholesterol levels
heart disease
loss of taste
increased susceptibility to infections
infertility
birth defects
Exceeding the daily requirement is dangerous, how-
ever, because copper toxicity commonly occurs. Copper
toxicity is a very serious medical problem. Acute toxicity
due to ingestion of too much supplement, for example,
may cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea,
dizziness, headache, and a metallic taste in the mouth.
Chronic toxicity is often caused by genetic defects of
copper metabolism, such asWilson’s disease. In this
disease, copper is not eliminated properly and is allowed
to accumulate to toxic levels.Copper is therefore present
at high concentration where it should not be, such as in
the liver, the lens of the eye, kidneys, or brain.Disease prevention
Copper is a good antioxidant. It works together
with an antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase
(SOD), to protect cell membranes from being destroyed
by free radicals. Free radicals are any molecules that are
missing one electron. Because this is an unbalanced and
unstable state, a radical is desperately finding ways to
complete its pair. Therefore, it reacts to any nearby
molecules to either steal an electron or give away the
unpaired one. In the process, free radicals initiate chain
reactions that destroy cell structures. Like other antiox-
idants, copper scavenges or cleans up these highly reac-
tive radicals and changes them into inactive, less
harmful compounds. Therefore, it can help prevent
cancer. In 2001, a study reported that concentrations
of copper sulfate and ascorbate may inhibit breast can-
cer growth. With further study, the combination may
even prove useful as a chemotherapy agent for certain
breast cancer patients.
Copper may also help prevent degenerative dis-
eases or conditions such as premature aging, heart
disease, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, cataracts, Alz-
heimer’s disease, or diabetes.Osteoporosis
Copper may play a role in preventing osteoporo-
sis. Calcium and vitamin D have long been considered
the mainstay of osteoporosis treatment and preven-
tion. However, a recent study has shown that they can
be even more effective in increasing bone density and
preventing osteoporosis if they are used in combina-
tion with copper and two other trace minerals, zinc
and manganese.KEY TERMS
Antioxidants—Antioxidants are nutrients that deac-
tivate reactive molecules (free radicals) and prevent
harmful chain reactions.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian—People who do not eat
meat, but do include dairy products and eggs in
their diets.
Minerals—Inorganic chemical elements that are
found in plants and animals and are essential for
life. There are two types of minerals: major miner-
als, which the body requires in large amounts, and
trace elements, which the body needs only in
minute amounts.Copper