Chapter 12: Micronutrients in Bones, Blood, and Eyes

12.8 Copper

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Food Science and Human Nutrition Program

Copper, like iron, assists in electron transfer in the electron-transport chain. Furthermore, copper is a cofactor of enzymes essential for iron absorption and transport. The other important function of copper is as an antioxidant. Symptoms of mild to moderate copper deficiency are rare. More severe copper deficiency can cause anemia from the lack of iron mobilization in the body for red blood cell synthesis. Other signs and symptoms include growth retardation in children and neurological problems, because copper is a cofactor for an enzyme that synthesizes myelin, which surrounds many nerves.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Copper

Table 12.81 Dietary Reference Intakes for Copper[1]

Age Group RDA, Males and Females (mcg/day) UL (mcg/day)
Infants (0–6 mon.) 200* None established
Infants (7–12 mon.) 220* None established
Children (1–3 years) 340 1,000
Children (4–8 years) 440 3,000
Children (9–13 yrs) 700 5,000
Adolescents (14–18 yrs) 890 8,000
Adults (> 19 years) 900 10,000
Pregnancy 1,000 Same as non-pregnant
Lactation 1,300 Same as non-lactating
* denotes Adequate Intake

Dietary Sources of Copper

Table 12.82 Some Food Sources of Copper[2]

Food Serving Copper (mcg)
Liver (beef), cooked, pan-fried 1 ounce 4,128
Mollusks, oysters, eastern, wild, cooked, moist heat 6 medium oysters 2,397
Crab meat, Alaskan king, cooked 3 ounces 1,005
Crab meat, blue, cooked, moist heat 3 ounces 692
Mollusks, clams, mixed species, cooked, moist heat 3 ounces 585
Cashews nuts, raw 1 ounce 622
Sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted 1 ounce 519
Hazelnuts, dry roasted 1 ounce 496
Almonds 1 ounce 292
Peanut butter, chunk style, without salt 2 tablespoons 185
Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup 497
Mushrooms, white, raw 1 cup (sliced) 223
Shredded wheat cereal 2 biscuits 167
Chocolate (semisweet) 1 ounce 198
  1. Dietary Fact Sheet for Health Professionals: Copper. National Institute of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Copper-HealthProfessional/. Updated October 18, 2022. Accessed August 3, 2023. ↵
  2. Source: Micronutrient Information Center: Manganese. Oregon State University, Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/copper. Updated in December 2013. Accessed September 02, 2020. ↵
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