Copper:
The richest sources of copper in the diet are Liver and other
organ Meats, Seafoods, Nuts and Seeds. Component of
several enzymes, including on needed to make skin, hair and
other pigments. Stimulates iron absorption. Needed to make
red blood cells, connective tissue and nerve fibres.
Copper Biochemistry
Unbound, free copper is not found in large quantities in the
human body. Instead, almost all of the copper in our bodies
is bound to either transport proteins (ceruloplasmin and
copper-albumin), storage proteins (metallothioneins), or
copper containing enzymes.4 A substantial number of copper
metalloenzymes have been found in the human body.
Copper is essential for the proper functioning of these
copper-dependent enzymes, including cytochrome C oxidase
(energy production), superoxide dismutase (antioxidant
protection), tyrosinase (pigmentation), dopamine hydroxylase
(catecholamine production), lysyl oxidase (collagen and
elastin formation), clotting factor V (blood clotting), and
ceruloplasmin (antioxidant protection, iron metabolism, and
copper transport).5 Most features of severe copper
deficiency can be explained by a failure of one or more of
these copper-dependent enzymes. For instance,
depigmentation can be explained by a tyrosinase deficiency,
and the defects of collagen and elastin causing abnormalities
in the connective tissue and vascular system can be
explained by a lysyl oxidase deficiency.
