Announcement: The copper-iron connection: Why anemia diagnosis may be missing a critical mineral

Last updated: 07/08/2026 21:30

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Copper-dependent enzymes control every checkpoint of iron transport in the body. When copper is deficient, iron accumulates in tissues while patients develop anemia indistinguishable from iron deficiency on standard blood tests—and more iron supplementation increases oxidative damage. — Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels (Pexels License)

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Iron doesn't disappear in copper deficiency—it gets trapped in tissues. Five patients suspected of bone marrow cancer actually had treatable copper deficiency. If you're anemic despite iron supplementation, especially post-bariatric surgery, ask about copper status. This diagnostic gap affects thousands.

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GMJ Brief · Announcement

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ByProf. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD

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MD, MPH, PhD. Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ). Professor and Head, School of Public Health, David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU), Tbilisi, Georgia. Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG). President, Accréditation Sans Frontières (ASF), Paris. Secretary/Treasurer, UEMS Section of Public Health. WHO Consultant, Health and Migration, Geneva. Former Member, UN Secretary-General's Independent Accountability Panel for Every Woman, Every Child, Every Adolescent (IAP-EWEC, 2016–2021). ORCID: 0000-0001-7609-4515.