Wilson's Disease
Copper is an essential nutrient which is available from a wide variety of foods such as grains, nuts, meats (liver and kidney), shellfish, legumes (peas and beans), seeds and dark chocolate.
Copper is a cofactor for enzymes in the body which drives a crucial array of chemical reactions that underpin human health and development. The enzymes impact coagulation of blood, maintenance of a healthy immune system and cells and healthy muscle tone. It is therefore important to include copper in the daily diet.
After copper is ingested, it is absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream. Here, copper is bound to transport proteins which carry it to the liver; it then gets distributed throughout the body. The ATP7B gene provides instructions for making copper transport protein and the elimination of excess copper which is found primarily in the liver, kidneys and brain.
Wilson's Disease is caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene. The mutated ATP7B gene prevents the transport protein from functioning properly. Excess copper is therefore not removed from the body and can accumulate to toxic levels in the liver, brain and other tissues.
Wilson's Disease is fatal unless detected and treated before serious illness from copper toxicity develops.
This website is intended for information purposes only.
Each patient is strongly advised to consult with their physician about their individual cases.