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Copper is an essential nutrient for the body. Together with iron, it enables the body to form red blood cells. It helps maintain healthy bones, blood vessels, nerves, and immune function, and it contributes to iron absorption. Sufficient copper in the diet may help prevent cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, too. Copper also helps the body produce melanin in the skin to combat cancer and promote a healthy tan.

Copper has an important role in a number of functions, including the:

- production of red blood cells
- regulation of heart rate and blood pressure
- absorption of iron
- prevention of prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate
- development and maintenance of bone, connective tissue, and organs such as the brain and heart
- activation of the immune system

Copper-rich foods

One easy way to make sure you’re getting enough copper is to eat foods that contain it. You can find copper in shellfish and organ meats, like liver.

You can also get a good amount of copper by eating vegetables, grains, and seeds, like:

- potatoes
- peas
- beans
- green vegetables
- whole grains
- sunflower seeds
- Peanut butter and dark chocolate also contain copper

Cardiovascular health

Low copper levels have been linked to high cholesterol and high blood pressure. One group of researchers has suggested that some patients with heart failure may benefit from copper supplements.

Animal studies have linked low copper levels to CVD, but it remains unclear if a deficiency would have the same impact on humans.

Neuron signalling

In 2016, Prof. Chris Chang, a chemist who is part of the Sackler Sabbatical Exchange Program at Berkeley, CA, devised and used a fluorescent probe to track the movement of copper in and out of nerve cells.

Prof. Chang says: “Copper is like a brake or dimmer switch, one for each nerve cell.”

His team found that, if high amounts of copper enter a cell, this appears to reduce neuron signaling. When copper levels in that cell fall, signaling resumes.

Immune function

Too little copper can lead to neutropenia. This is a deficiency of white blood cells, or neutrophils, which fight off infection.

A person with a low level of neutrophils is more likely to get an infectious disease.

Osteoporosis

Severe copper deficiency is associated with lower bone mineral density and a higher risk of osteoporosis.

More research is needed on how marginal copper deficiency may affect bone health, and how copper supplementation might help prevent and manage osteoporosis.

Collagen production

Copper plays an important role in maintaining collagen and elastin, major structural components of our bodies. Scientists have hypothesized thatTrusted Source copper may have antioxidant properties, and that, together with other antioxidants, a healthful intake may help prevent skin aging.

Without sufficient copper, the body cannot replace damaged connective tissue or the collagen that makes up the scaffolding for bone.

This can lead to a range of problems, including joint dysfunction, as bodily tissues begin to break down.

Arthritis

Animal studies have indicated that copper may help prevent or delay arthritis, and people wear copper bracelets for this purpose. However, no human studies have confirmed this.

Antioxidant action

Copper may also have an antioxidant function. It may help reduce the production of free radicals.