Copper deficiency can produce various symptoms, including diarrhea, inefficient utilization of iron and protein, and stunted growth.
The most frequent symptoms of copper deficiency are anemia, neutropenia, and skeletal defects while less frequent symptoms are lack of pigmentation, impaired growth, increased incidence of infections and abnormalities of glucose and cholesterol metabolism, defective fatty-acid metabolism and abnormalities in the cardiovascular system.
Possible manifestations, in addition to the features of severe deficiency, are conditions such as arthritis, arterial disease, and neurological effects.
Infants are more susceptible to overt symptoms of copper deficiency that are any other population group.
Among the predisposing factors of copper deficiency are prematurity, low birth weight, and malnutrition, especially when combined with feeding practices such as cow’s milk or total parenteral nutrition.
The development of nerve, bone and lung tissue can be impaired and the structure of these body parts may be altered.
Copper deficiency symptoms
