Caroline Mooney

KNH 413
Medical Nutrition Therapy Nutrient
1. 1.

What is the nutrient?

Copper
1. 2.

What is the RDA/DRI for the nutrient?

The RDA for copper is 340 mcg for those ages 1-3. 440 mcg for
those 4-8, 700 mcg for those 9-13, 890 mcg for those 14-18, 900
mcg for adults, 1,000 for those who are pregnant, and 1,300 for
those who are lactating. This means that adults should get about
1.3mg/day, children should get between 0.44-0.89 mg/day, and
pregnant women should get about 1 mg/day.
1. 3.

How is the nutrient metabolized?

Copper transport at the cellular level involves the movement of

extracellular
copper across the cell membrane and into the
cell by transporters. In the
bloodstream, copper is
carried through the body by albumin, ceruloplasmin, and
other
proteins. Intracellular copper is routed to sites of synthesis of copperrequiring enzymes and to organelles by proteins called
metallochaperones.
1. 4.

What are food sources of the nutrient?

Copper is found naturally in shellfish, beef liver, whole grains,

beans, peas, nuts, potatoes, green vegetables, and chocolate.
1. 5.

What disease states alter the nutrients metabolism?

Disease states that alter the nutrients metabolism include:

Menkes disease, in which patients cannot absorb essential copper
needed to survive, Wilsons disease, which is a genetic disorder of
copper transport that causes excess copper to build up in the liver,
Cancer, ICC, ICT, ETIC, and more.
1. 6.
What are the tests or procedures to assess the
nutrient level in the body?
Typically, a total blood copper test is ordered along with a
ceruloplasmin level. If the results from these tests are abnormal then a
24-hour urine copper test is done to measure copper elimination and/or
copper test performed on a liver biopsy to evaluate copper storage in
the liver. A free or unbound blood copper test may also be needed.
1. 7.

What is the drug nutrient interactions?

Penicillamine interacts with copper, which is used for Wilsons

Disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

1. 8.

How is the nutrient measured?

There are no reliable biomarkers of copper excess resulting from

dietary intake. The most reliable indicator of excess copper is the liver
copper concentration. Chaperone protein may also be a potential
marker for measuring copper.
1. 9.

What is the Upper Tolerable Limits?

The maximum tolerable amount of copper for adults is 10 mg/day.

10.What are the physical signs of deficiency?
Copper reserves in the liver will become depleted leading to
disease or tissue injury, and in extreme cases death. Those with a
marginal copper deficiency can suffer from lower resistance to
infection, fatigue, impaired neurological function, and elevated risk
for coronary heart disease and osteoporosis.
11.What are physical signs of toxicity?
Excess copper intake causes upset stomach, nausea, and diarrhea and
can lead to tissue injury and disease. At high concentrations it can
produce oxidative damage to biological systems.