Copper is an essential trace element that is vital to the health of all living things (plants, animals and microorganisms). In humans, copper is essential to the proper functioning of organs and metabolic processes. Also, in humans, copper helps maintain the nervous system, immune system, brain development, and activates genes, as well as assisting in the production of connective tissues, blood vessels, and energy. The human body has complex homeostatic mechanisms that regulate a constant supply of available copper, while eliminating excess copper, if needed to assure homeostasis. However, like all essential elements and nutrients, too much or too little nutritional ingestion of copper can result in a corresponding condition of copper excess or deficiency in the body, each of which has its own unique set of adverse health effects.
Daily dietary standards for copper have been set by various health agencies around the world. Standards adopted by some nations recommend different copper intake levels for adults, pregnant women, infants, and children, corresponding to the varying need for copper during different stages of life.
Organ meats, shellfish, nuts, seeds, chocolate, potatoes, and mushrooms are sources of dietary copper. Copper is commonly available in dietary supplements and is included in multivitamin products.
Biochemistry
Copper proteins have diverse roles in biological electron transport and oxygen transportation, processes that exploit the easy interconversion of Cu(I) and Cu(II). electronic-book electronic- Copper is essential in the aerobic respiration of all eukaryotes. In mitochondria, it is found in cytochrome c oxidase, which is the last protein in oxidative phosphorylation. Cytochrome c oxidase is the protein that binds the O2 between a copper and an iron; the protein transfers four electrons to the O2 molecule to reduce it to two molecules of water. Copper is also found in many superoxide dismutases, proteins that catalyze the decomposition of superoxides by converting it (by disproportionation) to oxygen or hydrogen peroxide:
Cu+-SOD + O2− + 2H+ → Cu2+-SOD + H2O2 (oxidation of copper; reduction of superoxide) Cu2+-SOD + O2− → Cu+-SOD + O2 (reduction of copper; oxidation of superoxide)
The protein hemocyanin is the oxygen carrier in most mollusks and some arthropods such as the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus). Because hemocyanin is blue, these organisms have blue blood rather than the red blood of iron-based hemoglobin. Structurally related to hemocyanin are the laccases and tyrosinases. Instead of reversibly binding oxygen, these proteins hydroxylate substrates, illustrated by their role in the formation of lacquers.S.J. Lippard, J.M. Berg "Principles of bioinorganic chemistry" University Science Books: Mill Valley, CA; 1994. . The biological role for copper commenced with the appearance of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere. Several copper proteins, such as the "blue copper proteins", do not interact directly with substrates; hence they are not enzymes. These proteins relay electrons by the process called electron transfer.
A unique tetranuclear copper center has been found in nitrous-oxide reductase.
Chemical compounds which were developed for treatment of Wilson's disease have been investigated for use in cancer therapy.
Optimal copper levels Copper deficiency and toxicity can be either of genetic or non-genetic origin. The study of copper's genetic diseases, which are the focus of intense international research activity, has shed insight into how human bodies use copper, and why it is important as an essential micronutrient. The studies have also resulted in successful treatments for genetic copper excess conditions, empowering patients whose lives were once jeopardized.
In the US, the average daily intake of copper is about 1 mg, and its bioavailability from the diet is estimated to be 65–70%, with a biological half-life of about 13–33 days. Researchers specializing in the fields of microbiology, toxicology, nutrition, and health risk assessments are working together to define the precise copper levels that are required for essentiality, while avoiding deficient or excess copper intakes. Results from these studies are expected to be used to fine-tune governmental dietary recommendation programs which are designed to help protect public health.
Essentiality
Copper is an essential trace element (i.e., micronutrient) that is required for plant, animal, and human health. It is also required for the normal functioning of aerobic (oxygen-requiring) microorganisms.
Copper's essentiality was first discovered in 1928, when it was demonstrated that rats fed a copper-deficient milk diet were unable to produce sufficient red blood cells. The anemia was corrected by the addition of copper-containing ash from vegetable or animal sources.
Fetuses, infants, and children Human milk is relatively low in copper, and the neonate's liver stores fall rapidly after birth, supplying copper to the fast-growing body during the breast feeding period. These supplies are necessary to carry out such metabolic functions as cellular respiration, melanin pigment and connective tissue synthesis, iron metabolism, free radical defense, gene expression, and the normal functioning of the heart and immune systems in infants.
Since copper availability in the body is hindered by an excess of iron and zinc intake, pregnant women prescribed iron supplements to treat anemia or zinc supplements to treat colds should consult physicians to be sure that the prenatal supplements they may be taking also have nutritionally-significant amounts of copper.
When newborn babies are breastfed, the babies' livers and the mothers' breast milk provide sufficient quantities of copper for the first 4–6 months of life. When babies are weaned, a balanced diet should provide adequate sources of copper.
Cow's milk and some older infant formulas are depleted in copper. Most formulas are now fortified with copper to prevent depletion.
Most well-nourished children have adequate intakes of copper. Health-compromised children, including those who are premature, malnourished, have low birth weights, develop infections, and who experience rapid catch-up growth spurts, are at elevated risk for copper deficiencies. Fortunately, diagnosis of copper deficiency in children is clear and reliable once the condition is suspected. Supplements under a physician's supervision usually facilitate a full recovery.
Homeostasis Copper is absorbed, transported, distributed, stored, and excreted in the body according to complex homeostatic processes which ensure a constant and sufficient supply of the micronutrient while simultaneously avoiding excess levels. If an insufficient amount of copper is ingested for a short period of time, copper stores in the liver will be depleted. Should this depletion continue, a copper health deficiency condition may develop. If too much copper is ingested, an excess condition can result. Both of these conditions, deficiency and excess, can lead to tissue injury and disease. However, due to homeostatic regulation, the human body is capable of balancing a wide range of copper intakes for the needs of healthy individuals.
Many aspects of copper homeostasis are known at the molecular level. Copper's essentiality is due to its ability to act as an electron donor or acceptor as its oxidation state fluxes between Cu1+(cuprous) and Cu2+ (cupric).Ralph, A., and McArdle, H. J. 2001. Copper metabolism and requirements in the pregnant mother, her fetus, and children. New York: International Copper Association As a component of about a dozen cuproenzymes, copper is involved in key redox (i.e., oxidation-reduction) reactions in essential metabolic processes such as mitochondrial respiration, synthesis of melanin, and cross-linking of collagen. Copper is an integral part of the antioxidant enzyme copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, and has a role in iron homeostasis as a cofactor in ceruloplasmin. A list of some key copper-containing enzymes and their functions is summarized below:
+Key copper-containing enzymes and their functions Enzymes Function Amine oxidases Group of enzymes oxidizing primary amines (e.g., tyramine, histidine and polylamines) Ceruloplasmin (ferroxidase I) Multi-copper oxidase in plasma, essential for iron transport Cytochrome c oxidase Terminal oxidase enzyme in mitochondrial respiratory chain, involved in electron transport Dopamine beta-hydroxylase Involved in catecholamine metabolism, catalyzes conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine Hephaestin Multi-copper ferroxidase, involved in iron transport across intestinal mucosa into portal circulation Lysyl oxidase Cross-linking of collagen and elastin Peptidylglycine alpha-amidating mono-oxygenase (PAM) Multifunction enzyme involved in maturation and modification of key neuropeptides (e.g., neurotransmitters, neuroendocrine peptides) Superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn) Intracellular and extracellular enzyme involved in defense against reactive oxygen species (e.g., destruction of superoxide radicals) Tyrosinase Enzyme catalyzing melanin and other pigment production
The transport and metabolism of copper in living organisms is currently the subject of much active research. Copper transport at the cellular level involves the movement of extracellular copper across the cell membrane and into the cell by specialized transporters. In the bloodstream, copper is carried throughout the body by albumin, ceruloplasmin, and other proteins. The majority of blood copper (or serum copper) is bound to ceruloplasmin. The proportion of ceruloplasmin-bound copper can range from 70 to 95% and differs between individuals, depending, for example, on hormonal cycle, season, and copper status. Intracellular copper is routed to sites of synthesis of copper-requiring enzymes and to organelles by specialized proteins called metallochaperones. Another set of these transporters carries copper into subcellular compartments. Certain mechanisms exist to release copper from the cell. Specialized transporters return excess unstored copper to the liver for additional storage and/or biliary excretion. These mechanisms ensure that free unbound toxic ionic copper is unlikely to exist in the majority of the population (i.e., those without genetic copper metabolism defects).Lewis, Al, 2009, The Hygienic Benefits of Antimicrobial Copper Alloy Surfaces in Healthcare Settings, a compilation of information and data for the International Copper Association Inc., 2009, available from International Copper Association Inc., A1335-XX/09
Absorption In mammals copper is absorbed in the stomach and small intestine, although there appear to be differences among species with respect to the site of maximal absorption.Stern, B.R. et al., 2007, Copper And Human Health: Biochemistry, Genetics, And Strategies for Modeling Dose-Response Relationships, Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 10:157–222 Copper is absorbed from the stomach and duodenum in rats and from the lower small intestine in hamsters. The site of maximal copper absorption is not known for humans, but is assumed to be the stomach and upper intestine because of the rapid appearance of Cu in the plasma after oral administration.
Absorption of copper ranges from 15 to 97%, depending on copper content, form of the copper, and composition of the diet.
Various factors influence copper absorption. For example, copper absorption is enhanced by ingestion of animal protein, citrate, and phosphate. Copper salts, including copper gluconate, copper acetate, and copper sulfate, are easily absorbed. copper oxides is not absorbed. Elevated levels of dietary zinc, as well as cadmium, high intakes of phytate and simple sugars (fructose, sucrose) inhibit dietary absorption of copper. Furthermore, low levels of dietary copper appear to inhibit iron absorption.