What is the daily copper supplementation dose for deficiency?

• A. 0.5 mg/day
• B. 1 mg/day
• C. 2 mg/day
• D. 3 mg/day

Answer: (C)

Copper deficiency is corrected with a modest amount of supplementation to rebuild copper stores without risking toxicity. A typical starting daily dose is about 2 mg of elemental copper. This amount is enough to replenish stores and support copper-dependent enzymes, while staying well below the safety ceiling. The average diet provides about 0.9 mg per day, so supplementation above that level is needed to address the deficiency. Copper is usually given as a salt such as copper gluconate, with the label indicating the elemental copper content, so using a product that provides around 2 mg daily targets effective repletion. If deficiency persists or is severe, a clinician may adjust the dose under supervision, but the upper safe limit is about 10 mg/day. Smaller doses like 0.5 or 1 mg/day are typically insufficient, while 3 mg/day can be used in certain cases but 2 mg/day is commonly the starting point.