The intake recommendations (D-A-CH reference values) of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) presented below are aimed at healthy people of normal weight. They do not refer to the supply of sick and convalescent people. Individual requirements may therefore be higher than the DGE recommendations (e.g. due to diet, consumption of stimulants, long-term medication, etc.).
Furthermore, you will find the safe daily maximum amount (Tolerable Upper Intake Level) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA/SCF) in the table on the right. This value reflects the safe maximum amount of a micronutrient (vital substance) that does not cause any side effects when taken daily from all sources (food and supplements) for a lifetime.
Estimated values for adequate intake
| Age | Copper | |
| mg/day | Tolerable Upper Intake Level of SCFa (mg) | |
| Infants | ||
| 0 to under 4 months | 0,2-0,6 | – – |
| 4 to under 12 months | 0,6-0,7 | – – |
| Children | ||
| 1 to under 4 years | 0,5-1,0 | 1 |
| 4 to under 7 years | 0,5-1,0 | 2 |
| 7 to under 10 years | 1,0-1,5 | 3 |
| 10 to under 15 years | 1,0-1,5 | 4 |
| Adolescents and adults | 1,0-1,5 | |
aTolerable Upper Intake Level (safe total daily intake) of the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF).
As part of the standardization of European regulations, valid Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) were issued in the European Union (EU) and made mandatory for nutrition labeling in 1990 in Directive 90/496/EEC. An update of this directive took place in 2008. In 2011, the RDA values were replaced by NRV values (Nutrient Reference Value) in Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011. The NRV values indicate the amount of vitamins, minerals and trace elements that an average person should consume daily to meet their needs.
| Trace element | NRV |
| Copper | 1 mg |
Caution. An NRV is not an indication of maximum amounts and upper limits – see above under “Tolerable Upper Intake Level” (UL). NRV values also do not take into account gender and age – see above under Recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) e. V..