The physiological role of copper: Dietary sources, metabolic regulation, and safety concerns.

Yuhan Fu, Kai Han, Chong Zhao, Shutao Yin, Hongbo Hu, Lirui Hou

Journal: Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) 2025;48():161-179

PMID: 40220473

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Copper plays an important physiological role in the body, with both deficiency and excess potentially impacting overall health. The body maintains a stringent copper metabolism mechanism to oversee absorption, utilization, storage, and elimination. Dietary consumption serves as the principal source of copper. The dietary factors may interfere with the absorption and metabolism of copper, leading to fluctuation of copper levels in the body. However, these dietary factors can also be strategically employed to facilitate the precise regulation of copper. This paper delved into the advancements in research concerning copper in food processing, including dietary sources of copper, the regulatory processes of copper metabolism and health implications of copper. The safety and its underlying mechanisms of excess copper were also highlighted. In particular, the paper examines the influence of dietary factors on the absorption and metabolism of copper, aiming to provide direction for accurate copper regulation and the creation of functional foods and pharmaceuticals.

Address: Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, No.17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China.; Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, No.17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, No.17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2025.03.023

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MeSH Terms: Copper, Humans, Diet, Intestinal Absorption, Food Handling