Copper
Helps the body use iron, makes connective tissue and brain chemicals, and supports immunity.
If you are short of it
Possible signs
- Pale skin
- Tiredness, low energy
- Frequent infections
- Tingling or numbness in hands and feet
- Dizziness or poor balance
- Fragile bones, easy fractures
These signs are common and have many other causes. They are clues, not proof; a blood test and a doctor can tell.
Who is more at risk
After gastric bypass surgery, long-term high-dose zinc, coeliac disease, prolonged tube or intravenous feeding, premature infants.
Foods rich in Copper
| Food | Serving | Amount | women 19–50 | men 19–50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef liver | 85 g cooked | 12400 NIH | 1378% | 1378% |
| Potato (baked, with skin) | 1 medium | 675 NIH | 75% | 75% |
| Cashews | a small handful (28 g) | 629 NIH | 70% | 70% |
| Chickpeas | 1 cup cooked | 580 NIH | 64% | 64% |
| Sunflower seeds | a small handful (28 g) | 520 NIH | 58% | 58% |
| Lentils | 1 cup cooked | 500 | 56% | 56% |
| Dark chocolate (70% or more) | 30 g, about 3 squares | 500 NIH | 56% | 56% |
| Tahini (sesame paste) | 2 tablespoons | 480 | 53% | 53% |
| Tofu (firm, calcium-set) | ½ cup (125 g) | 480 NIH | 53% | 53% |
| Black-eyed peas (lobia) | 1 cup cooked | 460 | 51% | 51% |
| Walnuts | a small handful (28 g) | 450 | 50% | 50% |
| Fava beans (foul) | 1 cup cooked | 440 | 49% | 49% |
| Mushrooms (cooked) | ½ cup (80 g) | 390 | 43% | 43% |
| Pumpkin seeds | a small handful (28 g) | 380 | 42% | 42% |
Unit: mcg. Share of the daily amount. Values marked NIH were checked against the food tables of the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements; the others are approximate and unchecked. Real foods vary with variety, brand, soil and cooking.
As a supplement
Usually only in multivitamins or zinc products as 1–2 mg.
Too much
Excess causes stomach pain, vomiting and liver harm. People with Wilson disease must avoid copper supplements.
How much you need each day
| Group | Recommended | Upper limit |
|---|---|---|
| Infants 0–6 months | 200 | — |
| Infants 7–12 months | 220 | — |
| Children 1–3 years | 340 | 1000 |
| Children 4–8 years | 440 | 3000 |
| Children 9–13 years | 700 | 5000 |
| Boys 14–18 years | 890 | 8000 |
| Girls 14–18 years | 890 | 8000 |
| Men 19–30 years | 900 | 10000 |
| Women 19–30 years | 900 | 10000 |
| Men 31–50 years | 900 | 10000 |
| Women 31–50 years | 900 | 10000 |
| Men 51–70 years | 900 | 10000 |
| Women 51–70 years | 900 | 10000 |
| Men over 70 | 900 | 10000 |
| Women over 70 | 900 | 10000 |
| Pregnant 14–18 years | 1000 | 8000 |
| Pregnant 19–30 years | 1000 | 10000 |
| Pregnant 31–50 years | 1000 | 10000 |
| Breastfeeding 14–18 years | 1300 | 8000 |
| Breastfeeding 19–30 years | 1300 | 10000 |
| Breastfeeding 31–50 years | 1300 | 10000 |
Unit: mcg. US/Canada Dietary Reference Intakes (National Academies), as summarised by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Other countries’ values differ slightly. These are amounts for healthy people, not treatment doses.
Interactions
Avoid together · Zinc
Long-term high-dose zinc (above about 40 mg a day) can cause copper deficiency. Take them in balance, as in many multivitamins.
Works together · Iron
Copper is needed to use iron: copper deficiency gives anaemia that does not respond to iron.
Page updated: 2026-10-08 · By Prof. E. Shalaan, Applied Sciences and AI (ASAI)