What it measures
The amount of copper in the liquid part of the blood. Most of it is carried by caeruloplasmin, a protein made in the liver, so the two are often measured together.
Why people test it
- Measured with caeruloplasmin when looking into Wilson's disease, an inherited condition where copper builds up.
- Checked when looking into low copper, which can follow gut surgery or a high zinc intake.
- Monitored in people on long-term feeding through a drip or tube.
Typical range
Ranges vary by lab, method, age and sex, and your report shows the lab's own range. One NHS trust gives 11 to 25 µmol/L for adults. Source: Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust: Copper.
Finger-prick or vein?
Taken from a vein, and providers offer it only as a vein draw. Ordinary needles and tubes can add tiny amounts of metal, so labs use trace element tubes.
Oestrogen raises copper, so levels can be two to three times higher late in pregnancy or on the combined pill. Inflammation raises it too.
· 100 tablets · 100 servings · 2.5 mg a serving