Hypocupremia (Low Blood Copper Level)
What Is Hypocupremia?
[dropcap]H[/dropcap]ypocupremia, or low plasma copper, means the level of copper is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for copper and is characterized by these many features:
- Impaired energy production causing weakness.
- Impaired ability as part of an enzyme to oxidize vitamin C which is required to breakdown histamine.
- Faulty blood cell formation and instability of blood cell membranes causing anemia, shortened life span of neutrophils causing susceptibility to infection, faulty platelet formation causing impaired blood clotting.
- Faulty elastin formation causing weak blood vessels.
- Poor collagen and connective tissue strength causing joint and tendon problems and weak bones causing deformities, faulty bone mineralization causing fragile bones.
- Loss of proprioception causing ataxia.
- Loss of pigmentation of hair and skin.
- Impaired thyroid function.
- Impaired adrenalin production.
Untreated, copper deficiency can advance to brain degeneration. Failure to make normal blood cells can result in death.