Tuesday's Quiz - Copper
How much copper do we need each day (according to the ASMBS)?
Name some foods high in copper (keep in mind, though, that we won’t absorb all the nutrients in our food so just eating a lot of these foods is not likely to meet our needs for copper).
How much copper is in your multivitamin? Note that many multivitamins have less than the amount suggested by the ASMBS and yet many post ops do not suffer from copper deficiency. Don’t panic and rush out to buy a new multi if you discover yours has less. Do make sure you are getting your copper level tested when you get labs done, though. If yours is low, or on the low end of the normal range, start taking a copper supplement.
What are some common symptoms of copper deficiency?
What other mineral do you need to maintain a good level of in order to absorb copper well (kinda like we need a good vitamin D level in order to absorb calcium well)?
What was your copper level last time you had labs done? (If you don’t know, call your doc for a copy of your lab report to find out. And if you haven’t had it tested, add it to the list of labs to request next time you get labs done!)
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Remote gastrointestinal surgery (e.g., RNY) is about the only time copper deficiencies show up in otherwise healthy people. And because of plentiful body stores, it can take many years for a copper deficiency to develop. So supplementation from the onset is important. But, you don't want to overdo as too much copper has been shown to be harmful, as well. And the range between too little and too much supplemental copper is fairly narrow. In addition, it is difficult to ascertain a copper deficiency in its early stages from a simple copper level blood test because the levels won't drop much until much later (because body stores will be sacrificed to maintain a normal serum level) when the deficiency is severe.
This referenced study found a clear link between RNY and severe copper deficiency:
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Long-Term-Health-Problems-Linked-to-Bariatric-Surgery-1351232.htm
This paper showed that 0.45mg per day of supplemental copper per day is not enough for RNY patients:
www.nature.com/oby/journal/v17/n11/full/oby2009237a.html
And this study showed that downsides of too much copper occur at a much lower dose than had been previously thought:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15159234
When all is said and done, I suspect that supplementing with 100% of the DV of copper (2.0 mg per day) is probably a good level for RNY patients. I would think 3 mg per day supplemental copper would also be quite safe, if one wanted even more cushion. But above 4-5 mg per day total copper intake might be getting into the realm of too much of a good thing.
Answers:
How much copper do we need each day (according to the ASMBS)?
4 mg, or 200% of the RDA
Name some foods high in copper (keep in mind, though, that we won’t absorb all the nutrients in our food so just eating a lot of these foods is not likely to meet our needs for copper).
Liver, molasses, leafy greens like spinach and kale, sesame seeds, cashews, sunflower seeds, some other veggies.
What are some common symptoms of copper deficiency?
Iron deficiency, fatigue, bruising easily, frequent infections.
What other mineral do you need to maintain a good level of in order to absorb copper well (kinda like we need a good vitamin D level in order to absorb calcium well)?
Iron.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
