management of copper deficiency
Last reviewed 01/2018
management
Treatment of hypocupraemia includes management of the underlying cause and prompt reversal of the deficiency with intravenous copper infusion, oral supplementation of copper, or both
- copper gluconate, copper sulphate, and copper chloride salts are used commonly
The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Clinical Practice guidelines recommendations:
- routine oral copper supplementation (2 mg/d)
- for severe deficiency - IV copper (2-4 mg/d) for six days
- subsequent treatment, or treatment of mild to moderate deficiency - oral copper (3-8 mg/d) until levels normalise
With treatment, haematological abnormalities return to normal values within 4 to 12 weeks.
Adequacy of replacement should be monitored by periodic assessment of serum copper (1)
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