The Healthspan Map · Nutrient

Copper

Compiled by Aamir Malik, PhD, Professor of Neuroengineering at Brno University of Technology, from published studies. He is a researcher, not a physician. Last updated 21 August 2026.

Linked to getting too little

Where a shortfall of Copper is linked: 8 sources.In the order the Map holds them: strongest evidence first. That is a statement about the evidence, not about what matters most.
Condition or system	Direction	Strength	Evidence type	What was found	Source
Anemia	Eat enough of	Moderate	Review / narrative	Copper deficiency causes an anemia that can mimic iron deficiency.	Copper-deficiency anemia (opens in a new tab)
Insomnia / poor sleep	Eat enough of	Emerging	Cohort / observational	Copper modulates NMDA-receptor activity (linked to NREM sleep); copper inadequacy is associated with short sleep.	NHANES 2011-2016 (opens in a new tab)
Peripheral neuropathy	Eat enough of	Moderate	Review / narrative	Copper deficiency causes a myeloneuropathy with sensory ataxia and peripheral nerve involvement, reversible with repletion.	Copper-deficiency myeloneuropathy (opens in a new tab)
Respiratory infections & airway health	Eat enough of	Emerging	Review / narrative	Copper deficiency impairs neutrophil number/function and innate immunity relevant to infection defence.	Multivitamin-mineral & respiratory infection (PMC12310427) (opens in a new tab)
Skin, hair, nails & wound healing	Eat enough of	Moderate	Review / narrative	Copper (lysyl oxidase) cross-links collagen/elastin; deficiency causes depigmentation, spiral hair and impaired wound healing.	Copper & collagen cross-linking (opens in a new tab)
Thyroid dysfunction	Eat enough of	Emerging	Review / narrative	Copper is among the trace minerals influencing thyroid hormone synthesis and regulation.	Nutrition & thyroid review (PMC11314468) (opens in a new tab)
Vision problems	Eat enough of	Emerging	RCT / meta-analysis	Copper is included in AREDS mainly to offset the copper depletion caused by high-dose zinc.	AREDS formula review (PMC7015456) (opens in a new tab)
Weak immunity & chronic inflammation	Eat enough of	Moderate	Review / narrative	Copper supports superoxide dismutase and innate immune killing; deficiency causes neutropenia and impaired immunity.	Copper & innate immunity (opens in a new tab)

Linked to getting too much

Where an excess of Copper is linked: 2 sources.In the order the Map holds them: strongest evidence first. That is a statement about the evidence, not about what matters most.
Condition or system	Direction	Strength	Evidence type	What was found	Source
Digestive discomfort	Don't overdo	Moderate	Established clinical	Acute copper excess causes gastroenteritis - abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea - with erosive gastropathy.	Copper toxicity & GI (opens in a new tab)
Neurological & Mental Health	Don't overdo	Moderate	Established clinical	Copper accumulation (Wilson's disease) causes neurological (tremor, dystonia, dysarthria) and psychiatric symptoms, plus Kayser-Fleischer eye rings.	Wilson's disease literature (opens in a new tab)

The Healthspan Map is part of Fix the Floor, a book by Aamir Malik. About the book