JOURNAL: Our Copper Challenge

        I was given access to metabolic panels of nine family members. The panels  revealed that 7 were high in copper (at the time of this post).  Four family members were extreme in copper (well above functional levels) and another family member was extreme (leading to hospitalization) but is now normal.  There are positives to copper, negatives to copper and misinformation on the internet is rampant.  The good news is that there are VERY effective means to reduce copper.  Copper excess is a huge issue that amplifies other metabolic impacts on mental and emotional functioning and poses a variety of physiological threats to health if chronically high over a long duration (as it was for me).

     Copper is necessary for a wide variety of functions including helping the body form red blood cells, maintains healthy bones and cartilage, strengthens blood vessels, maintains nerve cells,  is used to produce neurotransmitters, helps immune function, contributes to iron absorption and large scale replicated studies confirm that copper helps prevents both cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.  In fact copper plays a role in generating new blood vessels that assist damaged tissue and organs.  Those chronically high in copper exhibit high blood flow, quickness, greater strength and higher power output are physically resilient, get sick less and recover from injury faster.  Many supplements to improve hair, nails and complection will use doses of copper.   Copper in the right amounts  is good for mental and physical health..
     Too little copper even over a brief period can do damage that takes years to repair in bones, cartilage, nervous, cardiovascular systems and can cause death.   High copper reduces liver function and initiates blood vessel networks that support cancer (malignant and benign) tumors.   Copper plays a role in the development of Alzheimer's Disease.  Copper magnifies dysfunctional metabolic activity.
     In the mental health realm those chronically high in copper are 8 times more likely to be in jail for violent crime.  High copper is associated with quick and poor judgements, impulsive behavior, postpartum psychosis and numerous mental health issues.  Dr. Walsh was formerly an electrochemist for Argonne Labs focused on detection of trace metals in the blood stream.  Dr. Walsh wondered if high copper could trigger inappropriate behavior.  In a research project he implemented a copper reduction plan for violent offenders released from jail (with and 80% recidivism rate).  Those released who complied with the copper reduction plan were 1/4th as likely to return to prison within 3 years (violent offenders have high recidivism rates).  That study confirmed the surprising thesis that copper influences behavior and is not just another correlated factor. 
      Physiologically copper supports the growth of new blood vessels.  This can mean that damaged tissue is more quickly and fully repaired but is also means the person high in copper guide the development of blood vessels that support growing cancers.  Chemo therapy often seeks to reduce free, serum and tissue copper for this reason.  The positives of copper also can be the problem with copper. 
      When copper is removed from the bloodstream naturally it is placed in the liver.  The bile duct carries copper (and other metals) away but at a limited rate.  Copper that builds up in the liver reduces liver functioning.  Combined with alcohol consumption the damage can be long lasting and then less copper removed from the blood as a result.  This ignites a cycle that results in liver functioning decline and copper build up.  Reducing copper is the key to disrupting this negative feedback cycle.
       Copper is important and has a huge impact on our metabolism.  There is misinformation on the internet that I now know is common.  The idea that overmethylation drives serum copper values higher or that copper lowers histamines significantly are both incorrect.  I was misled myself by the assertions and reasonings.   Dr. Mensah has 3,000 outcomes in his personal data base and has 63,000 outcomes in a shared data base and he strongly insists that copper levels are totally unrelated to other metabolic problems (such as methylation and pyrro dysfunction).  I have read his work and spoken to him personally.   He is now fully convinced that while copper does bind with histamines the impact is small and not significant in terms of metabolic issues.  High or low copper is a function of your exposure to copper and your personal tendency to retain it (or not retain it).

Where is this copper coming from?
       Bioavailability of copper means that has a higher probability to be absorbed by our tissues.  A study sponsored by the National Institute of health states "Copper ions in water have the highest bioavailability. The bioavailability of copper in the diet is a function of its solubility and also the types of complexes in which it is present." The copper sitting in plumbing over a 6-8 hour period will result in higher levels of copper per liter and so the first glasses of water in the morning from home plumbing systems made of copper are a leading candidate as a copper source for many people.
      There are examples of exposure to extremely high levels of copper that have resulted in immediate and intense copper toxicity including symptoms like  salivation, nausea, vomiting, epigastric burning, or diarrhea.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has documented copper toxicity events.  Events include malfunctioning soft drink vending machines (check valves made of copper), medical equipment that regulate fluids insertion into the bloodstream (components made of copper), tea contaminated with copper sulfate, major incidents of canned soft drinks contaminated with high copper contents, the most predominant method of exposure to toxic levels of copper is from home water buildup and early morning consumption of the water (usually affecting only one person in the household).  

What can we do about an inherited tendency to retain copper?
        Copper is ubiquitous in all living systems on our earth.  Soils everywhere have copper (some more than others).  Animals eat the  plants and the copper builds up in organs such as the liver and kidneys.  Copper is found in all seafood, seaweeds and shellfish.  How can we reduce our copper if it is in everything?!  This may seem like mission impossible.  There are, in fact, a number of things that can be done to reduce copper levels.  We know this not only from databases but from a person in our family who at one time had EXTREMELY high levels of copper but is now normal.  Copper levels are, in fact,  responsive to a variety of measures and actions taken together they can have a significant impact on copper levels within weeks.
       I have already written too much....So I will quickly summarize techniques that WORK in reducing copper serum levels:
  1) Avoiding food normally high in copper such as
         organ meats (liver), shellfish, dried beans, peas, whole grains and chocolate.
  2)  Eliminate alcohol and sugar intake (that is best...but reducing helpful too)
  3)  Avoid copper cooking utensils (no copper utensils at all)
  4)  Avoid water that sits in copper water pipes
  5)   Buy organic (because pesticides and herbicides often have copper)
  6)  Eat lots of watery juicy fruits!  These ALSO have antioxidants that reduce
       oxidative load and reduce copper levels.
  7)  Consume lots of greens that provide folates and antioxidants
  8)  Work up a sweat as copper leaves with the sweat (but don't overdo it!)
  9)  Take supplements that assist in competing and/or ejecting copper like Molybdenum, iodine, calcium, chromium polynicotinate, magnesium glycinate, magnesium oxide and ESPECIALLY ZINC (zinc picolinate AND zinc citrate  ) 
    Each one of these actions above will reduce copper.  Done in parallel these actions will reduce copper at a significant rate.
     I have attached a shopping list to help!
   
      One can not rush the supplements as this either will overwhelm your bodies ability to absorb the nutrients OR actually cause toxic effects.  The metals in particular can be overdone and can make you nauseous.  The anti oxidants like vitamin C and Niacin are hard to overdue.

Summary of Copper Impact on our Family:  
        Our family has been documented (using blood checks on 9 family members) to have chronically high levels of copper.  Long term sustained high copper makes us vulnerable negative physiological impacts such as liver function decline, all forms of cancer, alzheimer's AND it amplifies metabolic dysfunctions that nurture mood swings and attention deficits and impulsiveness.   Appropriate levels of sleep can help us maintain functionality EVEN with a variety of physical ills but sleep is our last stand against many harmful mental health outcomes of high copper.  In terms of diet and nutrients there is no issue in our family more important than managing copper levels.  Combine sleep with proper nutrition and the result will be incredible achievements that benefit the entire family! 
"Health of body and mind is a great blessing, if we can bear it."     

                                     -John Henry Cardinal Newman  






Before rushing into a copper reduction program
based on blood and/or mineral analysis it is important to
understand copper withdrawal issues:
https://pursuitofhealthhappyliberty.blogspot.com/2019/11/journal-copper-drop-danger.html

Some of the information in the writing above gleaned from:

 Nutrient Power by Dr. William Walsh
https://pursuitofhealthhappyliberty.blogspot.com/2019/03/review-nutrient-power.html

 Health Effects of Excess Copper,  National Institute of Health publication
copper metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma, National Institute of Health publication

Copper  and Postpartum Depression

Copper overload and Depression

Tumor Promoting Copper, National Institute of Health publication

Location: Walla Walla, WA 99362, USA

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