Hemoglobin, the protein that carries most of the oxygen in the blood, requires both copper and iron for its synthesis and proper function. Copper is also required for the production of elastin (the protein that gives elasticity to the skin, lungs, and blood vessels), collagen (the protein required for the body's structure), noradrenalin (the neurotransmitter critical to nervous system function), and melanin (the pigment that gives color to skin and hair).

Also very important to people living with HIV, copper helps protect the body from oxidative damage via the enzyme copper-zinc superoxide dismutase and the protein ceruloplasmin to which copper is bound:

Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, both clearly important with this disease that causes both oxidative damage and body-wide inflammation.

Ceruloplasmin is one of the body's most important blood antioxidants, and levels of it increase in response to infection: when infection or injury cause increases in free radicals and inflammation (which HIV definitely does), the ceruloplasmin works to put out the fire.

Even a marginal copper deficiency is known to compromise immune responses, which makes the fact that copper deficiencies have been reported in people with HIV quite worrisome.

that copper is required for infant growth, host defense mechanisms, bone strength, red and white blood cell maturation, iron transport, cholesterol metabolism, myocardial contractility, glucose metabolism, and brain development.

Several herbs and supplements, such as boron, vitamin C, selenium, molybdenum and manganese may alter (decrease or increase) copper levels in the body; calcium or rapeseed oilmeal may alter the metabolism of copper.