Copper is an essential mineral that has many roles in the body. It helps maintain a healthy metabolism, promotes strong and healthy bones and ensures your nervous system works properly. While copper deficiency is rare, it seems that fewer people today are getting enough of the mineral. In fact, up to 25% of people in America and Canada may not be meeting the recommended copper intake (1).
Not consuming enough copper may eventually lead to deficiency, which can be dangerous.
Other causes of copper deficiency are celiac disease, surgeries affecting the digestive tract and consuming too much zinc, as zinc competes with copper to be absorbed.
Here are 9 signs and symptoms of copper deficiency.
1. Fatigue and Weakness
Copper deficiency may be one of the many causes of fatigue and weakness.
Copper is essential for absorbing iron from the gut (2).
When copper levels are low, the body may absorb less iron. This can cause iron deficiency anemia, a condition in which the body is unable to carry enough oxygen to its tissues. A lack of oxygen can make you weaker and feel tired more easily.
Additionally, cells use copper to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s main source of energy. This means copper deficiency could affect your energy levels, which again promotes fatigue and weakness (4, 5).
Fortunately, eating a copper-rich diet can help fix anemia caused by copper deficiency (6).
2. Frequent Sickness
People who get sick often may have copper deficiency.
That’s because copper plays an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system.
When copper levels are low, your body may struggle to make immune cells. This could drastically reduce your white blood cell count, compromising your body’s ability to combat infection (7).
Studies have shown that copper deficiency can dramatically reduce the production of neutrophils, which are white blood cells that act as the body’s first line of defence (8, 9).
Fortunately, eating more copper-rich foods can help reverse these effects.
3. Weak and Brittle Bones
Osteoporosis is a condition characterised by weak and brittle bones.
It becomes more common with age and has been linked to copper deficiency (10).
For example, an analysis of eight studies including over 2,100 people found that those with osteoporosis had lower levels of copper than healthy adults (10).
Copper is involved in processes that create cross-links inside your bones. These cross-links ensure bones are healthy and strong (11, 12, 13).
What’s more, copper encourages the body to make more osteoblasts, which are cells that help reshape and strengthen bone tissue (14, 15).
Copper deficiency could make it harder to learn and remember.
That’s because copper plays an important role in brain function and development.
Copper is used by enzymes that help supply energy to the brain, aid the brain’s defence system and relay signals to the body (16).
Conversely, copper deficiency has been linked to diseases that stunt brain development or affect the ability to learn and remember, such as Alzheimer’s disease (16, 17).
Interestingly, a study found that people with Alzheimer’s had up to 70% less copper in their brain, compared to people without the disease (18).
Enzymes use copper to maintain optimal health of the spinal cord. Some enzymes help insulate the spinal cord, so signals can be relayed between the brain and body (21).
Copper deficiency may cause these enzymes to not work as effectively, resulting in less spinal cord insulation. This, in turn, causes signals to not be relayed as efficiently (21, 22).
In fact, animal studies have found that copper deficiency may reduce spinal cord insulation by as much as 56% (23).
Walking is regulated by signals between the brain and body. As these signals are affected, copper deficiency may cause loss of coordination and unsteadiness (19, 20).
People with copper deficiency may feel more sensitive to cooler temperatures.
Copper, along with other minerals like zinc, helps maintain optimal thyroid gland function.
Studies have shown that the T3 and T4 levels of thyroid hormones are closely linked to copper levels. When blood copper levels are low, these thyroid hormone levels fall. As a result, the thyroid gland may not work as effectively. (24, 25).
Given that the thyroid gland helps regulate your metabolism and heat production, low thyroid hormone levels could make you feel colder more easily (26, 27).
In fact, it’s estimated that over 80% of people with low thyroid hormone levels feel more sensitive to cold temperatures (28).
Skin colour is greatly determined by the pigment melanin.
People with lighter skin usually have fewer, smaller and lighter melanin pigments than people with darker skin (29).
Interestingly, copper is used by enzymes that produce melanin. Therefore, copper deficiency could affect the production of this pigment, causing pale skin (30, 31).
However, more human-based research investigating the link between pale skin and copper deficiency is needed.
Hair colour is also affected by the pigment melanin.
Given that low copper levels can affect melanin formation, copper deficiency may cause premature grey hair (32, 33).
While there is some research on copper deficiency and melanin pigment formation, hardly any studies have looked at the link between copper deficiency and grey hair specifically. More human-based research in this area would help clarify the link between the two.
Copper is used by many enzymes that help ensure the nervous system works properly. This means that copper deficiency can cause problems with the nervous system, including vision loss (36).
It seems that vision loss due to copper deficiency is more common among people who have had surgery on their digestive tract, such as gastric bypass surgery. This is because these surgeries can reduce the body’s ability to absorb copper (37).
While there is some evidence that vision loss caused by copper deficiency is reversible, other studies have shown no vision improvement after increasing copper intake (34, 37).
Copper deficiency is very rare, as many foods provide sufficient amounts of the mineral.
If you’re concerned about your copper levels, it’s best to speak with your doctor. They will see if you are at risk of copper deficiency and may test your blood copper levels.
Simply consuming a balanced diet should help you meet your daily copper needs.
Nonetheless, it’s estimated that up to a quarter of people in American and Canada do not eat enough copper, which may increase the risk of copper deficiency.
Common signs and symptoms of copper deficiency include fatigue and weakness, frequent sickness, weak and brittle bones, problems with memory and learning, difficulties walking, increased cold sensitivity, pale skin, premature grey hair and vision loss.
Thankfully, increasing copper intake should correct most of these signs and symptoms our Alitasa Silver Ion Water has calculated formula of Copper to provide sufficient amounts.