Copper
Copper is one of the trace minerals — the minerals the body needs only in tiny amounts. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients, substances the body needs in small amounts to work properly.
Why it matters: A serum copper test checks the level of copper in the blood. By itself, the test is not used to diagnose Wilson's disease. In Wilson's disease total serum copper levels are usually low because ceruloplasmin is low, while the level of free copper — copper that is not bound to ceruloplasmin — is often higher than usual.
Source · Cleveland Clinic — what it is, related conditions
Source · Mayo Clinic — why it matters
Source · Cleveland Clinic — what moves it
May decrease with:
What is Copper?
Copper is one of the trace minerals — the minerals the body needs only in tiny amounts. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients, substances the body needs in small amounts to work properly.
What might a high or low Copper mean?
A serum copper test checks the level of copper in the blood. By itself, the test is not used to diagnose Wilson's disease. In Wilson's disease total serum copper levels are usually low because ceruloplasmin is low, while the level of free copper — copper that is not bound to ceruloplasmin — is often higher than usual.
What is the typical reference range for Copper?
The general-population reference range shown here is 12 – 24 µmol/L. Reference ranges describe the general population and are not a personal target — discuss your results with your physician.
What can affect Copper?
It may be lower with: Not getting enough copper from food, Malabsorption syndromes, Macronutrient undernutrition, Total parenteral nutrition, Zinc overload — large amounts of zinc supplements, or denture adhesives containing zinc, can affect the body's ability to absorb copper.