The best way to supplement copper

Our body actually needs a lot of nutrients, but some substances are needed more, such as vitamins, calcium, etc., but for some trace elements, the body's demand is relatively small. For example, copper. But our body cannot lack copper. If it is lacking, the body will suffer from anemia and bone deformities. So, if your baby is copper deficient, what is the best way to supplement copper?

Symptoms of copper deficiency in babies

Few people understand the important role copper plays in health, so they don't pay enough attention to it. Copper deficiency will have a certain impact on the body. The more common symptoms are: general malnutrition, prolonged diarrhea, anemia, stunted growth, dysentery, low body temperature, weight loss, pale skin, and reduced skin and hair pigmentation. Some children also experience skin rashes, slow visual responses, low muscle tone, osteoporosis, etc.

Most of the patients who show obvious symptoms of copper deficiency in clinical practice are children, especially those who are underweight at birth. The most obvious symptoms of copper deficiency in infants are anemia (even iron supplementation is of no help) and bone deformities (osteoporosis and other bone injuries are also common), so copper supplementation for babies must be done as early as possible.

How to supplement copper for babies

The copper in the baby's body is widely distributed in various tissues and organs throughout the body. Copper is involved in the hematopoietic process and is an effective assistant to iron. It can affect the absorption, transportation and utilization of iron.

Normal children need 80 μg/kg of copper per day. Because the human body has no storage mechanism for copper, a certain amount of copper must be taken from food every day to make up for the copper excreted in bile. Liver, fish, oysters, nuts, etc. are rich in copper and their supply should be ensured. For babies, special attention should be paid to the addition of complementary foods to ensure that the baby gets enough copper from food. Pork liver can be made into liver puree or made into meat patties with lean meat as food supplement.

For children with copper deficiency, in addition to increasing the intake of copper-containing foods, 0.5mg to 1.0mg of copper can be supplemented daily. Be careful not to take too large a dose to avoid poisoning. Consult a doctor for specific requirements and product introductions.

Some babies are copper deficient because they drink cow's milk. In fact, the copper content in cow's milk is very low, only 0.02 mg/100 g, so babies are prone to copper deficiency if they drink it. Mothers should try their best to get copper for their babies from food. This will not only help the baby absorb it quickly, but also balance various minerals, which is very helpful for the baby's growth and development.

What foods contain copper?

The main way to supplement copper is through food. There are many foods that contain copper, such as black pepper, Brazil nuts, liver and raw oysters, lobster, nuts, seeds, olives (green), soybean flour, wheat bran, bananas, beans, beef, bread, butter, cheese, coconut, dried fruits, eggs, fish, green vegetables, peanut butter, pork, poultry, radishes, vegetable oils, most dairy products, other fruits, vegetables and sugar. If the baby lacks copper, parents can feed the above foods to help the child supplement copper.