Copper
Serum copper is a trace-element marker measured in the NHANES 2015-2016 serum trace-elements file. Across US males aged 30 to 39, the median serum copper is 104.5 µg/dL.
Unit: µg/dL · 12 slices · age and sex · 1 source
Filed under panels: Trace Elements · topics: Nutrition
Serum copper is the circulating copper measure published in the NHANES copper, selenium, and zinc file. It is measured in a one-third subsample and analyzed with the WTSA2YR subsample weight. Copper is transported largely by ceruloplasmin, so the population distribution can reflect both trace-element biology and acute-phase physiology.
Population Distribution
Browse by Demographic
| Age (years) | male (µg/dL) | female (µg/dL) |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 76.5–133.7 (99.3) | 87.0–232.9 (121.5) |
| 30-39 | 82.8–136.8 (104.5) | 85.0–183.2 (126.1) |
| 40-49 | 75.2–132.8 (98.1) | 87.2–182.8 (127.6) |
| 50-59 | 76.2–137.9 (102.8) | 94.1–168.9 (125.8) |
| 60-69 | 83.3–139.2 (107.4) | 94.1–169.7 (124.5) |
| 70+ | 81.3–153.6 (107.2) | 90.6–164.6 (123.9) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is serum copper grouped with zinc and selenium?
All three are measured in the same NHANES 2015-2016 serum trace-elements file and use the same subsample weight.
Why does copper vary with inflammatory physiology?
Most circulating copper is carried by ceruloplasmin, an acute-phase protein. Population values can therefore reflect more than trace-element intake alone.
Are these laboratory reference intervals?
No. These are survey-weighted population percentiles for US adults in NHANES, not laboratory reference intervals.