Copper

Abbreviation: Cu

Panel: Vitamin & Mineral Tests · All vitamins & minerals tests

Typical adult reference range

Conventional units70–140 µg/dL
SI units11–22 µmol/L

Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.

What a high or low result can mean

High copper: high values can be seen in inflammation, pregnancy, estrogen use, and some liver disorders.

Low copper: low values may occur in Wilson disease, malabsorption, or excess zinc intake.

These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.

Good to know

Most copper in blood is carried by ceruloplasmin.

Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.