Copper – what it is, benefits and its functions!
Copper is a mineral that works with iron to form healthy red blood cells. It helps produce energy in cells and forms a protective covering for your nerves and connective tissues.
Best sources:
Copper is found in a wide variety of foods. The best sources are organ meats (especially liver), seafood, nuts, seeds , cereals, wheat bran and whole grains.
Deficiency:
Deficiency is relatively rare in humans, but has been found in some special cases. It has been observed in premature infants fed exclusively with cow’s milk, children recovering from malnutrition and patients with prolonged artificial (tube and intravenous) feedings.
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In these cases, symptoms associated with copper deficiency include a specific anemia (which can be corrected by copper supplementation ) and abnormally low levels of white blood cells.
Excess copper:
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The harmful effects of consuming too much copper from food are rare in healthy individuals. Cases of acute intoxication and via contaminated drinks (both from contaminated water sources and storage in containers containing the mineral) resulted mainly in gastrointestinal diseases in the form of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It is possible that long-term exposure to excessive amounts can cause liver damage, kidney failure, coma and death.