Copper is essential to all living organisms and is a universally important cofactor for many hundreds of metalloenzynes. Copper deficiency is widespread and appears in many forms. Copper is required in many body functions. The production of RNA, DNA, lysil oxidase cofactor, melanin for hair and skin pigmentation, exchange of oxygen electrons at the cellular level, as well as increasing the tensile strength of elastic fibers in blood vessels, skin and vertebral discs.

Neonatal enzootic ataxia (swayback) was recognized clinically in 1937 as a copper deficiency in pregnant sheep. Copper supplements prevented the syndrome which is characterized by the break down of the myelin of the cerebellum and spinal cord. Gelatinous lesions of the cerebral white matter, nerve cell death and the failure of the myelin membrane to form normally. These are all identical with human cerebral palsy.

Famous people affected or dying of an obvious copper deficiency include Albert Einstein (ruptured cerebral aneurysm), Paavo Aerola (ruptured cerebral aneurysm), Conway Twitty (ruptured abdominal aorta aneurysm) George and Barbara Bush (thyroid disease and white hair) - four to six of every 100 Americans autopsied have died of a ruptured aneurysm, an additional 40 percent have aneurysms that had not yet ruptured.

The average well nourished adult human body contains between 80 and 120 mg of copper. Concentrations are higher in the brain, heart and kidneys. Bone and muscle have lower percentages but contain up to 50 percent of the total body amount because of their mass. It is of interest that the greatest amount of copper is found in newborns their daily requirement being about .08 mg where and adult needs about .03 mg per kg of body weight.

Copper functions as a co-factor and activator of numerous cuproenzymes that are involved in the development and maintenance of the cardiovascular system. Deficiency of copper in pregnant women can result in congenital defects of the heart and brain of infants. Copper deficiency results in a loss of tensile strength of the elastic fibers of arterial walls which can cause aneurysms (a bubble ) that often ruptures. 

In young people the deficiency can result in a specific type of arthritis characterized by the growth of bone spurs. Other results from copper deficiency can include myelin ( the fatty sheath covering nerves) defects, anemia, poor skin and hair pigmentation (white hair). Infants whose diet is primarily cows' milk frequently suffer from anemia due to inadequate copper.