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Vitamins, Minerals, and Nutrient Status

Ceruloplasmin — lab reference

Acute-phase reactant; interpret with serum/urine copper and clinical context.

Based on teaching by Dan Purser, MD. How we prepare these guides

Updated Sep 23, 2026 · Educational reference

Purser Wellness reference range

This is Purser Wellness’s adult reference. Your own lab may print a different interval. Some entries need more context than a single number.

Unit
mg/dL
Male
19-31
Female
19-31

How to read this marker

Acute-phase reactant; interpret with serum/urine copper and clinical context.

The wider testing context

A blood level may not tell you everything about what is happening in tissues. Fasting, recent supplements, inflammation, sample handling, and the test method may affect a result.

Using this range

These are starting ranges for adults who are not pregnant, unless this page says otherwise. Your lab may use a different range. Compare the units, sample, and collection details with your own report. Medicines and health history also matter. Ask your clinician what your result means for you.

A question to bring to your visit

How does the Ceruloplasmin range here compare with my lab’s range, and what else matters for me?

Compare with your report

Before discussing a result, keep these details together:

  • Your result and its units
  • The range printed by your own lab
  • When the sample was collected, and the sample type or method if shown
  • Medicines, supplements, and changes in your health that may matter

A number on this page cannot diagnose a condition or choose a treatment for you. Your clinician can help put it in context.

MAKE SENSE OF YOUR COPPER RESULTS

Non-ceruloplasmin copper calculator

Use your zinc, total copper, and ceruloplasmin blood results to estimate NCC and the copper:zinc ratio.

Zinc
Total copper
Ceruloplasmin

Copy the units exactly. Use blood results collected together when available; your clinician can help if collection dates or sample types differ.

How this estimate works

This uses the formula in Dr. Purser’s handout: NCC (µg/dL) = total copper (µg/dL) − 3 × ceruloplasmin (mg/dL). NCC percentage = NCC ÷ total copper × 100. Copper:zinc ratio = total copper ÷ zinc, using the same units.

Calculated NCC is an estimate. Test methods and how much copper is bound to ceruloplasmin can affect it. It differs from a direct lab measurement of labile or exchangeable copper. It cannot diagnose fibromyalgia or copper toxicity, or choose treatment for you. Read about the limits of calculated NCC at Mayo Clinic Laboratories ↗

Your entries stay on this page. They are not saved or sent anywhere.

Dr. Purser’s adult reference range may differ from the range printed by your lab. Compare the units and discuss your result with your clinician.

Names you may see

Ceruloplasmin

Now hear the conversation.

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PURSER WELLNESSUsing the NCC Formula From the reading room
Using the NCC Formula article image
Health BlogJun 11, 2026

Using the NCC Formula

This is the BEST way to look at what your Copper is really doing. Is it getting into the cells, or building up in other places? Let’s see! Non-Ceruloplasmin Copper Calculator Calculate NCC in Seconds Enter zinc, copper, and ceruloplasmin exactly as they appear on a lab report. The calculator converts units, calculates the copper:zinc ratio, and highlights the percent of non-ceruloplasmin-bound copper. Lab Inputs Use the unit dropdowns to match the lab report. The app normalizes everything to µg/dL before calculating. Zinc Required for copper:zinc ratio Total Copper Required for all NCC calcula

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