Copper is key in burning fat: Scientist says results could provide new target for obesity research [Archive]

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Carmody

7th June 2016, 04:51

Copper is key in burning fat: Scientist says results could provide new target for obesity research (http://phys.org/news/2016-06-copper-key-fat-scientist-results.html)

A new study is further burnishing copper's reputation as an essential nutrient for human physiology. A research team led by a scientist at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and at the University of California, Berkeley, has found that copper plays a key role in metabolizing fat.

Long prized as a malleable, conductive metal used in cookware, electronics, jewelry and plumbing, copper has been gaining increasing attention over the past decade for its role in certain biological functions. It has been known that copper is needed to form red blood cells, absorb iron, develop connective tissue and support the immune system.

The new findings, to appear in the July print issue of Nature Chemical Biology but published online today, establishes for the first time copper's role in fat metabolism.

The team of researchers was led by Chris Chang, a faculty scientist at Berkeley Lab's Chemical Sciences Division, a UC Berkeley professor of chemistry and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Co-lead authors of the study are Lakshmi Krishnamoorthy and Joseph Cotruvo Jr, both UC Berkeley postdoctoral researchers in chemistry with affiliations at Berkeley Lab.

"We find that copper is essential for breaking down fat cells so that they can be used for energy," said Chang. "It acts as a regulator. The more copper there is, the more the fat is broken down. We think it would be worthwhile to study whether a deficiency in this nutrient could be linked to obesity and obesity-related diseases."

Dietary copper

Chang said that copper could potentially play a role in restoring a natural way to burn fat. The nutrient is plentiful in foods such as oysters and other shellfish, leafy greens, mushrooms, seeds, nuts and beans.

According to the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, an adult's estimated average dietary requirement for copper is about 700 micrograms per day. The Food and Nutrition Board also found that only 25 percent of the U.S. population gets enough copper daily.

"Copper is not something the body can make, so we need to get it through our diet," said Chang. "The typical American diet, however, doesn't include many green leafy vegetables. Asian diets, for example, have more foods rich in copper."

But Chang cautions against ingesting copper supplements as a result of these study results. Too much copper can lead to imbalances with other essential minerals, including zinc.

Copper as a 'brake on a brake'

The researchers made the copper-fat link using mice with a genetic mutation that causes the accumulation of copper in the liver. Notably, these mice have larger than average deposits of fat compared with normal mice.

http://phys.org/newman/csz/news/800/2016/1-copperiskeyi.jpg

The inherited condition, known as Wilson's disease, also occurs in humans and is potentially fatal if left untreated.

Analysis of the mice with Wilson's disease revealed that the abnormal buildup of copper was accompanied by lower than normal lipid levels in the liver compared with control groups of mice. The researchers also found that the white adipose tissue, or white fat, of the mice with Wilson's disease had lower levels of copper compared with the control mice and correspondingly higher levels of fat deposits.

They then treated the Wilson's disease mice with isoproterenol, a beta agonist known to induce lipolysis, the breakdown of fat into fatty acids, through the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway. They noted that the mice with Wilson's disease exhibited less fat-breakdown activity compared with control mice.

The results prompted the researchers to conduct cell culture analyses to clarify the mechanism by which copper influences lipolysis. The researchers used inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) equipment at Berkeley Lab to measure levels of copper in fat tissue.

They found that copper binds to phosphodiesterase 3, or PDE3, an enzyme that binds to cAMP, halting cAMP's ability to facilitate the breakdown of fat.

"When copper binds phosphodiesterase, it's like a brake on a brake," said Chang. "That's why copper has a positive correlation with lipolysis."

Hints from cows

The connection between copper and fat metabolism is not altogether surprising. The researchers actually found hints of the link in the field of animal husbandry.

"It had been noted in cattle that levels of copper in the feed would affect how fatty the meat was," said Chang. "This effect on fat deposits in animals was in the agricultural literature, but it hadn't been clear what the biochemical mechanisms were linking copper and fat."

The new work builds upon prior research from Chang's lab on the roles of copper and other metals in neuroscience. In support of President Barack Obama's BRAIN Initiative, Berkeley Lab provided Chang seed funding in 2013 through the Laboratory Directed Research and Development program. Chang's work continued through the BRAIN Tri-Institutional Partnership, an alliance with Berkeley Lab, UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco.

Of the copper in human bodies, there are particularly high concentrations found in the brain. Recent studies, including those led by Chang, have found that copper helps brain cells communicate with each other by acting as a brake when it is time for neural signals to stop.

While Chang's initial focus was on the role of copper in neural communications, he branched out to investigations of metals in fat metabolism and other biological pathways. This latest work was primarily funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Ernie Nemeth

7th June 2016, 17:07

I must have too much copper, then. No fat, just skin and bones.

sigma6

8th June 2016, 03:45

Food Sources. Oysters and other shellfish, whole grains, beans, nuts, potatoes, and organ meats (kidneys, liver) are good sources of copper. Dark leafy greens, dried fruits such as prunes, cocoa, black pepper, and yeast are also sources of copper in the diet.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=53
Basic Description

Copper is a key mineral in many different body systems. It is central to building strong tissue, maintaining blood volume, and producing energy in your cells. Yet, for all its critical importance, you don't have much copper in your body—barely more than the amount found in a single penny. And those pennies in your pocket are only 2.5% copper by weight.

In the foods we commonly eat, there are only very small amounts of copper. As much as any dietary mineral, the amount of copper you eat is directly related to the amounts of minimally processed plant foods you get every day.

Of the World's Healthiest Foods, 12 are rated as excellent sources of copper, 37 are very good, and 42 are rated as good.

Role in Health Support

Antioxidant Protection

Copper is one of the co-factors for one form of an enzyme called superoxide dismutase (SOD). SOD is one of the major antioxidant enzymes in the body. As a measure of how important SOD is, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—also known as Lou Gehrig's disease—is thought to be the result of an underfunctioning (SOD) enzyme.

From recent studies where young volunteers were fed a copper-depleted diet, reduced SOD function was an early result. In fact, these changes were apparent within the first month of the experimental diet.

In more advanced cases of copper deficiency, including people who have undergone gastric bypass surgery, this loss of antioxidant protection over a period of years can lead to irreversible damage to the nervous system. However, this does not appear to occur without the types of unusual deficiency risks detailed below.

Bone and Tissue Integrity

Copper is required to manufacture collagen, a major structural protein in the body. When copper deficiency becomes severe, tissue integrity—particularly bones and blood vessels—can begin to break down.

Luckily, it appears at the present time that a very severe and prolonged dietary deficiency of copper is necessary to lead to overt problems. For example, premature babies with immature gastrointestinal tracts can develop bone problems related to copper deficiency.

At least one recent author has speculated that the marginal copper status of the diets of about one-quarter of adults in the U.S. is related to eventual development of osteoporosis in some members of this group. For adults with borderline copper intake from food, deficient intake of nutrients like calcium and vitamin D is still likely to put them at greater risk than borderline intake of copper. Still, this low copper intake may be increasing their risk of osteoporosis and is very likely to be the subject of future research.

Energy Support

Copper plays two key roles in energy production. First, it helps with incorporation of iron into red blood cells, preventing anemia. Second, it is involved with generation of energy from carbohydrates inside of cells.

Each of these uses of copper also requires iron, and for this reason, the symptoms of copper deficiency can mimic those of low iron intake. Lentils, and sesame seeds are just a few examples of World's Healthiest Foods rich in both iron and copper.

Cholesterol Balance

Animal studies have demonstrated that copper-deficient diets lead to increases in blood cholesterol levels. In humans, this appears to be true in some situations, but not all. This should not be a surprise, as human diets are much more varied than those of laboratory animals. Interestingly, the effect of copper deficiency appears to be through increased activity of an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase—the same enzyme targeted by the most commonly prescribed cholesterol medications.

Summary of Food Sources

With the single exception of shrimp, all of the very good or excellent sources of copper among the World's Healthiest Foods are plant foods. These best copper sources are varied, however, and come from many different food groups.

Our top three sources of copper are sesame seeds, cashews, and soybeans. Any of these three foods will bring at least three-quarters of your daily copper requirement. Shiitake and crimini mushrooms are also excellent copper sources and will provide 40 to 75% of your daily need.

Many of the excellent food sources of copper are leafy greens, including turnip greens, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, and mustard greens. Asparagus and summer squash are two other excellent vegetable sources of copper.

The good and very good sources of copper include many legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. For example, flax seeds, walnuts, and garbanzo beans are rated as very good sources of copper.

Combining a grain- or legume-based recipe with an excellent vegetable source of copper could very easily provide the entire daily requirement of this mineral. For example, 7-Minute Sautéed Crimini Mushrooms would meet or exceed your daily Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for copper.

Nutrient Rating Chart

Introduction to Nutrient Rating System Chart

In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the World's Healthiest Foods that are either an excellent, very good, or good source of copper. Next to each food name, you'll find the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition, the calories contained in the serving, the amount of copper contained in one serving size of the food, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of our rating system.

World's Healthiest Foods Ranked As Quality Sources of Copper

Food Serving Size Cals Amount (mg) DRI/DV (%) Nutrient Density Rating
======== === === ======= ======= ========== ====

Sesame Seeds 0.25 cup 206.3 1.47 163 14.3 excellent
Cashews 0.25 cup 221.2 0.88 98 8.0 excellent
Soybeans 1 cup 297.6 0.70 78 4.7 excellent
Mushrooms, Shiitake 0.50 cup 40.6 0.65 72 32.0 excellent
Beet Greens 1 cup 38.9 0.36 40 18.5 excellent
Turnip Greens 1 cup 28.8 0.36 40 25.0 excellent
Mushrooms, Crimini 1 cup 15.8 0.36 40 45.5 excellent
Spinach 1 cup 41.4 0.31 34 15.0 excellent
Asparagus 1 cup 39.6 0.30 33 15.2 excellent
Swiss Chard 1 cup 35.0 0.29 32 16.6 excellent
Kale 1 cup 36.4 0.20 22 11.0 excellent
Mustard Greens 1 cup 36.4 0.20 22 11.0 excellent
Summer Squash 1 cup 36.0 0.19 21 10.6 excellent
Sunflower Seeds 0.25 cup 204.4 0.63 70 6.2 very good
Tempeh 4 oz 222.3 0.61 68 5.5 very good
Garbanzo Beans 1 cup 269.0 0.58 64 4.3 very good
Lentils 1 cup 229.7 0.50 56 4.4 very good
Walnuts 0.25 cup 196.2 0.48 53 4.9 very good
Lima Beans 1 cup 216.2 0.44 49 4.1 very good
Pumpkin Seeds 0.25 cup 180.3 0.43 48 4.8 very good
Tofu 4 oz 164.4 0.43 48 5.2 very good
Peanuts 0.25 cup 206.9 0.42 47 4.1 very good
Kidney Beans 1 cup 224.8 0.38 42 3.4 very good
Olives 1 cup 154.6 0.34 38 4.4 very good
Sweet Potato 1 cup 180.0 0.32 36 3.6 very good
Shrimp 4 oz 134.9 0.29 32 4.3 very good
Green Peas 1 cup 115.7 0.24 27 4.1 very good
Almonds 0.25 cup 132.2 0.23 26 3.5 very good
Grapes 1 cup 104.2 0.19 21 3.6 very good
Pineapple 1 cup 82.5 0.18 20 4.4 very good
Winter Squash 1 cup 75.8 0.17 19 4.5 very good
Flaxseeds 2 TBS 74.8 0.17 19 4.5 very good
Brussels Sprouts 1 cup 56.2 0.13 14 4.6 very good
Beets 1 cup 74.8 0.13 14 3.5 very good
Raspberries 1 cup 64.0 0.11 12 3.4 very good
Tomatoes 1 cup 32.4 0.11 12 6.8 very good
Broccoli 1 cup 54.6 0.10 11 3.7 very good
Kiwifruit 1 2 inches 42.1 0.09 10 4.3 very good
Basil 0.50 cup 4.9 0.08 9 32.8 very good
Cabbage 1 cup 43.5 0.08 9 3.7 very good
Sea Vegetables 1 TBS 10.8 0.08 9 14.7 very good
Black Pepper 2 tsp 14.6 0.08 9 11.0 very good
Miso 1 TBS 34.2 0.07 8 4.1 very good
Eggplant 1 cup 34.6 0.06 7 3.5 very good
Fennel 1 cup 27.0 0.06 7 4.4 very good
Leeks 1 cup 32.2 0.06 7 3.7 very good
Parsley 0.50 cup 10.9 0.05 6 9.1 very good
Chili Peppers 2 tsp 15.2 0.05 6 6.6 very good
Romaine Lettuce 2 cups 16.0 0.05 6 6.3 very good
Garlic 6 cloves 26.8 0.05 6 3.7 very good
Navy Beans 1 cup 254.8 0.38 42 3.0 good
Pinto Beans 1 cup 244.5 0.37 41 3.0 good
Black Beans 1 cup 227.0 0.36 40 3.2 good
Quinoa 0.75 cup 222.0 0.36 40 3.2 good
Dried Peas 1 cup 231.3 0.35 39 3.0 good
Barley 0.33 cup 217.1 0.31 34 2.9 good
Millet 1 cup 207.1 0.28 31 2.7 good
Avocado 1 cup 240.0 0.28 31 2.3 good
Buckwheat 1 cup 154.6 0.25 28 3.2 good
Oats 0.25 cup 151.7 0.24 27 3.2 good
Potatoes 1 cup 160.9 0.20 22 2.5 good
Rye 0.33 cup 188.5 0.20 22 2.1 good
Brown Rice 1 cup 216.4 0.19 21 1.8 good
Sardines 3.20 oz 188.7 0.17 19 1.8 good
Pear 1 medium 101.5 0.15 17 3.0 good
Onions 1 cup 92.4 0.14 16 3.0 good
Wheat 1 cup 151.1 0.14 16 1.9 good
Raisins 0.25 cup 108.4 0.12 13 2.2 good
Papaya 1 medium 118.7 0.12 13 2.0 good
Collard Greens 1 cup 62.7 0.10 11 3.2 good
Banana 1 medium 105.0 0.09 10 1.7 good
Blueberries 1 cup 84.4 0.08 9 1.9 good
Cantaloupe 1 cup 54.4 0.07 8 2.6 good
Green Beans 1 cup 43.8 0.07 8 3.2 good
Strawberries 1 cup 46.1 0.07 8 3.0 good
Watermelon 1 cup 45.6 0.06 7 2.6 good
Grapefruit 0.5 med 41.0 0.06 7 2.9 good
Cranberries 1 cup 46.0 0.06 7 2.6 good
Oranges 1 medium 61.6 0.06 7 1.9 good
Carrots 1 cup 50.0 0.05 6 2.0 good
Plum 2-1/8 in. 30.4 0.04 4 2.6 good
Cucumber 1 cup 15.6 0.04 4 5.1 good
Celery 1 cup 16.2 0.04 4 5.0 good
Cumin 2 tsp 15.8 0.04 4 5.1 good
Bok Choy 1 cup 20.4 0.03 3 2.9 good
Mustard Seeds 2 tsp 20.3 0.03 3 3.0 good
Apricot 1 whole 16.8 0.03 3 3.6 good
Figs 1 medium 37.0 0.03 3 1.6 good
Peppermint 2 TBS 5.3 0.03 3 11.3 good
Thyme 2 TBS 4.8 0.03 3 12.4 good
Turmeric 2 tsp 15.6 0.03 3 3.9 good

World's Healthiest Foods Rating Rule

excellent DRI/DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DRI/DV>=10%
very good DRI/DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DRI/DV>=5%
good DRI/DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DRI/DV>=2.5%

Impact of Cooking, Storage and Processing

Storage of foods does not significantly affect their copper content. Like other minerals, copper will stay available in your foods as long as they are properly stored for recommended periods of time.

Processing whole grains into refined ones by removing the outer layers will significantly reduce copper content. For example, refined white flour has less than half the copper content of the whole wheat kernel. This is a large price to pay nutritionally.

Along the same lines, foods that are cooked at high temperatures for extended periods can get brown on the outside. This effect is common with some cooking methods, and can substantially impair our ability to absorb the copper from foods. For more information on why we choose shorter cook times and lower temperatures to enhance the health benefits of foods, read this article.

Cooking vegetables reduces copper content in a manner that increases with both the volume of cooking water and the heating time. Lightly cooking vegetables by steaming should therefore help to minimize copper losses. For example, lightly boiling spinach only reduces the copper content by an insignificant fraction.

Risk of Dietary Deficiency

Between one-quarter to one-half of Americans fail to reach Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations for copper on a daily basis. In fact, in experimental research where scientists intentionally created copper-deficient diets, the composition of those diets was quite similar to the average U.S. diet. These copper-depleted diets were based largely around meats, refined grains, and dairy foods. As noted above, this common diet pattern was low enough in copper to cause significant detrimental effects to antioxidant enzymes within weeks.

About 5% of U.S. adults eat a diet with less copper than was used in these studies. In fact, this 5% of U.S. adults obtain less copper from their diets on a daily basis than would be found in a single serving of navy beans—a food not even close to the best source of copper in our rating system.

According to a statistical analysis published in 2011, copper deficiency risk has risen substantially over the past 75 years. This is probably most related to modern food processing methods, although copper depletion of soils may also contribute to some extent.

Other Circumstances that Might Contribute to Deficiency

Most of the non-dietary factors that contribute to copper deficiency tend to involve somewhat uncommon medical conditions. Gastric by-pass surgery stomach surgeries are two examples. Certain cancers—like pancreatic cancer—can increase risk of copper deficiency, as can celiac disease when it is poorly managed or untreated.

Relationship with Other Nutrients

Prolonged supplementation with doses of zinc that go beyond normal dietary intake ranges can interfere with copper absorption and utilization, leading to copper deficiency.

Risk of Dietary Toxicity

Most U.S. adults struggle to achieve the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for copper intake, so the risk of dietary toxicity from copper is really only seen in a person with one of two issues.

The first issue would be a genetic condition that impairs the ability to clear copper from the body, leading to a buildup to toxic levels. The most likely reason for this is a condition called Wilson's disease, an inherited genetic mutation. Wilson's disease is both rare (as few as one case per 100,000 people) and very severe. People with this condition—and other similar genetic mutations that affect copper metabolism—are usually diagnosed by the time they reach adulthood.

A more common reason to see risk of copper toxicity is due to excessive exposure from the water supply. This is not generally caused by excessive amounts in city water supplies—these are monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—but by leaching from old copper pipes and fittings.

The amount of copper that is leached into water from old pipes can be significant, but it varies widely. If you have concern about the amount of copper in your tap water, you can take some simple steps to help reduce the exposure risk. First, the amount of leaching is directly related to the amount of time the water spends in the copper pipe. Use the first gallon or so of water in the morning for non-cooking tasks (for example, cleaning or watering plants). In fact, anytime you are getting drinking water from your tap, you can let the water run until you feel it get noticeably colder. Second, hot water will leach more copper than cold water, so if you want hot water for a beverage, you can use cold water and then heat it up rather than getting hot water out of your tap. Finally, you could install a water filter to remove much of the copper. Both activated charcoal and reverse osmosis filters should remove significant amounts of copper from your water. However, before taking any of these steps, make sure that toxicity risk is a greater risk for you than deficiency risk! You don't want to be lowering the amount of copper in your drinking water if you actually need more copper than you are getting from your food.

Disease Checklist

Anemia
High cholesterol
Fatigue
Low immune function
Osteoporosis
Wound healing
Cardiac arrhythmia
Arthritis

Hym

8th June 2016, 04:38

Very Good Info here. Thanks Guys.

When we first moved to this area, at about 6400 ft. altitude, I worked the second day in extreme cold, for me at least. I used 15 grams of Vitamin C that day to adapt and it worked well for my system, keeping me warm. No adverse reactions like the system reacting by getting diarrhea. Have taken an amount of Vitamin C for years before and after this.
However, such amounts of Vitamin C deplete the body of it's stores of Copper and one of the symptoms of the imbalance is grey hair.

Is there a correlation between Ho Shou Wu and a balance in the body with proper copper amounts, along with other trace minerals? I ask this as the most well known story of this Chinese herb, with probable correlative taxonomy connected with other like herbs worldwide, that is the origin of the name Ho Shou Wu, meaning "full head of black hair", in which a stranded man ate this herb primarily with incredible results....... one being the return of his hair back to black from grey and of course a much longer, extended life span full of vitality.

Agape

8th June 2016, 06:08

Agape

8th June 2016, 06:17

Beware of copper toxicity (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_toxicity), it's widespread as well ..

Toxicity[edit]
Copper in the blood and blood stream exists in two forms: bound to ceruloplasmin (85–95%), and the rest "free", loosely bound to albumin and small molecules. Free copper normally reduces oxidative stress, as it is involved in the metabolic elimination of reactive oxygen species, such as with the superoxide radical through Cu-Zn dependent superoxide dismutase.[1] Excessive free copper impairs zinc homeostasis, and vice versa, which in turn impairs antioxidant enzyme function, increasing oxidative stress.[1] Chronically elevated levels of copper intake produces zinc deficiency.[1]

Nutritionally, there is a distinct difference between organic and inorganic copper, according to whether the copper ion is bound to an organic ligand.[2][3] Organic copper, like that found in food, is a beneficial micronutrient needed for good health.[4] Inorganic metallic copper, like that found in electrical wire, plumbing pipes, brass fittings, redox water filters, sheet metal, cooking utensils, jewelry and pennies, is a neurotoxic heavy metal linked to physical and psychiatric symptoms on par with mercury and lead.[5][6][7][8]

Symptoms and presentation[edit]
Acute symptoms of copper poisoning by ingestion include vomiting, hematemesis (vomiting of blood), hypotension (low blood pressure), melena (black "tarry" feces), coma, jaundice (yellowish pigmentation of the skin), and gastrointestinal distress.[9] Individuals with glucose-6-phosphate deficiency may be at increased risk of hematologic effects of copper.[9] Hemolytic anemia resulting from the treatment of burns with copper compounds is infrequent.[9]

Chronic (long-term) effects of copper exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.[10] Mammals have efficient mechanisms to regulate copper stores such that they are generally protected from excess dietary copper levels.[10][11]

Those same protection mechanisms can cause milder symptoms, which are often misdiagnosed as psychiatric disorders. There is a lot of research going on regarding the function of the Cu/Zn ratio in many conditions, neurological, endocrinological and psychological.[12][13][14] The diagnostic difficulties arise from the fact that many of the substances that protect us from excess copper perform important functions in our neurological and endocrine systems. When they are used to bind copper in the plasma, to prevent it from being absorbed in the tissues, their own function may go unfulfilled. Such symptoms often include mood swings, irritability, depression, fatigue, excitation, difficulty focusing, feeling out of control, etc. To further complicate diagnosis, some symptoms of excess copper are similar to those of a copper deficit.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) in drinking water is 1.3 milligrams per liter.[9][15] The MCL for copper is based on the expectation that a lifetime of consuming copper in water at this level is without adverse effect (gastrointestinal). The US EPA lists copper as a micronutrient and a toxin.[16] Toxicity in mammals includes a wide range of animals and effects such as liver cirrhosis, necrosis in kidneys and the brain, gastrointestinal distress, lesions, low blood pressure, and fetal mortality.[17][18][19] The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a limit of 0.1 mg/m3 for copper fumes (vapor generated from heating copper) and 1 mg/m3 for copper dusts (fine metallic copper particles) and mists (aerosol of soluble copper) in workroom air during an eight-hour work shift, 40-hour work week.[20] Toxicity to other species of plants and animals is noted to varying levels.[16]

EPA cancer data[edit]
The EPA lists no evidence for human cancer incidence connected with copper, and lists animal evidence linking copper to cancer as "inadequate". Two studies in mice have shown no increased incidence of cancer. One of these used regular injections of copper compounds, including cupric oxide. One study of two strains of mice fed copper compounds found a varying increased incidence of reticulum cell sarcoma in males of one strain, but not the other (there was a slightly increased incidence in females of both strains). These results have not been repeated.[21]

Treatment[edit]
In cases of suspected copper poisoning, penicillamine is the drug of choice, and dimercaprol, a heavy metal chelating agent, is often administered. Vinegar is not recommended to be given, as it assists in solubilizing insoluble copper salts. The inflammatory symptoms are to be treated on general principles, as are the nervous ones.[citation needed]

There is some evidence that alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) may work as a milder chelator of tissue-bound copper.[22] Alpha lipoic acid is also being researched for chelating other heavy metals, such as mercury.[23]

Cookware[edit]
When acidic foods are cooked in unlined copper cookware, or in lined cookware where the lining has worn through, toxic amounts of copper can leach into the foods being cooked.[24] This effect is exacerbated if the copper has corroded, creating reactive salts.[25] Actual cooking may not be required for copper to leach into acidic liquids if they are stored in copper for a period of time.[26]

Non-sparking tools[edit]
OSHA has set safety standards for grinding and sharpening copper and copper alloy tools, which are often used in nonsparking applications. These standards are recorded in the Code of Federal Regulations 29 CFR 1910.134 and 1910.1000.[27]

Note: The most important nonsparking copper alloy is beryllium copper, and can lead to beryllium poisoning.

Drinking water[edit]
With an LD50 of 30 mg/kg in rats, "gram quantities" of copper sulfate are potentially lethal in humans.[28] The suggested safe level of copper in drinking water for humans varies depending on the source, but tends to be pegged at 2.0 mg/l.[29]

Birth Control[edit]
Estrogen birth control pills and copper intrauterine devices are known to increase the amount of copper in humans.[30] Estrogen increases the absorption of copper, making women more likely to carry excess copper even when no birth control is used.

The amount of estrogen (or copper) contained in these modern forms of contraception are generally considered safe, and the former restrictions for estrogen use (not to be used by women older than 40, 35 for smokers) were lifted in 1989.

There are conditions in which an individual's copper metabolism is compromised to such an extent that birth control may cause an issue with copper accumulation. They include toxicity or just increased copper from other sources, as well as the increased copper level of the individual's mother via the placenta before birth.[31] The two hormones commonly used in birth control, estrogen and progestin, protect from each other's complications, so a combination method may work best. At least when existing imbalances have been treated.

Pathophysiology[edit]
A significant portion of the toxicity of copper comes from its ability to accept and donate single electrons as it changes oxidation state. This catalyzes the production of very reactive radical ions, such as hydroxyl radical in a manner similar to Fenton chemistry.[32] This catalytic activity of copper is used by the enzymes with which it is associated, thus is only toxic when unsequestered and unmediated. This increase in unmediated reactive radicals is generally termed oxidative stress, and is an active area of research in a variety of diseases where copper may play an important but more subtle role than in acute toxicity.

Some of the effects of aging may be associated with excess copper.[33]

Indian childhood cirrhosis[edit]
One manifestation of copper toxicity, cirrhosis of the liver in children (Indian childhood cirrhosis), has been linked to boiling milk in copper cookware. The Merck Manual states recent studies suggest that a genetic defect is associated with this particular cirrhosis.[34]

Wilson's disease[edit]
An inherited condition called Wilson's disease causes the body to retain copper, since it is not excreted by the liver into the bile. This disease, if untreated, can lead to brain and liver damage, and bis-choline tetrathiomolybdate is under investigation as a therapy against Wilson's disease.

Alzheimer’s disease[edit]
Elevated free copper levels exist in Alzheimer's disease,[35] which has been hypothesized to be linked to inorganic copper consumption.[36] Copper and zinc are known to bind to amyloid beta proteins in Alzheimer's disease.[37] This bound form is thought to mediate the production of reactive oxygen species in the brain.[3

Callista

8th June 2016, 08:12

Thank you , Agape, for mentioning copper toxicity - it is extremely widespread and copper will block essential nutirents from being utilised by the body. I have had years of personal problems with this.

Here is a good article by Dr Mercola on this topic:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/12/copper-alzheimers-disease.aspx#!

much love

Callista

seah

8th June 2016, 13:09

I've done some research into copper as well because of issues I had in childhood and others later developed that all pointed to copper deficiency; soft bones and some grey hair appearing as a child, persistent anemia, later high bp with no family history and yet supplements didn't show any results.
From the material above the symptoms seem to imply toxicity also. Now I am curious.

conk

8th June 2016, 16:54

Taking large doses of zinc to aid in prostate health resulted in a copper deficiency, as tested by the physician. Nutrients must be in balance, minerals in particular. Another reason to consume whole, raw state foods. Nature brings the balance to the dinner table. Sadly, modern farming and processing make it difficult for Mother Nature to feed us properly. Soil is near depleted of essential minerals and other nutrients. Processing disassembles food and rebuilds it into something akin to food, but not really nourishing food. Whole industries exist to add back flavor, nutrients, and texture to the vile product remaining after processing. These additives are rarely from nature's collection and most often dangerous chemical imposters.

Daozen

8th June 2016, 17:07

Seah, this may help. Wilson's disease is supposed by some to be both copper deficiency and toxicity at the same time. Iodine can regulate nutrients. Methysulfurmethane can help deplete copper if that is your aim.

http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-diseases/copper-zinc-imbalance-unrecognized-consequence-of-plant-based-diets-and-a-contributor-to-chronic-fatigue/

Mushrooms, Basil and nuts can help increase copper supplies.

Copper is a highly contentious issue among nutritionists. As there is so much confusion, supplementation may be dangerous. I suggest people eat high or low copper foods, and see what happens to their symptoms. I have taken zinc and MSM for years, so I am probably low in copper. I've eaten high copper foods for a few weeks, and my general health has improved. I always craved high copper fruits and vegetables like mango and mushrooms. Iodine is the master nutrient, IMO. Just eating seaweed might start to bring things back into balance.

seah

9th June 2016, 04:08

I see. I've suspected absorption problems, also it seems to me the liver is being overtaxed and in need of a cleanse. I would like to try iodine but I must admit to being nervous about doing it, some people have awful reactions to it that completely sidelines them. Thanks for the push, Daozen, I needed it.

ozmirage

9th June 2016, 04:20

The answer to the source of widespread obesity may be found in this informative video
-- - -- - --
What is so special about the human brain?
http://www.ted.com/talks/suzana_herculano_houzel_what_is_so_special_about_the_human_brain
- - - -- - - --

[SPOILER ALERT]

The key to our amazing brain size is cooking - which is also our bane - the source of our obesity. But since the BRAIN demands to be fed, no amount of will power will defeat it, in the long run.
But 100% unprocessed raw food diet is contrasurvival, so the happy medium is based on finding your own balance of raw versus cooked / processed diet.

DeDukshyn

9th June 2016, 20:25

The problem with our insufficient copper levels are heavily related to our intake of zinc.

Please note this if you fear you are not getting enough copper - just adding some to your diet may NOT be enough, you have to consider your zinc-copper ratio!

The receptors for copper and zinc are the same ones. In nature our diet is expected to have a 10:1 zinc copper ratio. However our "modern diet" and supplements are overburdened with zinc, and thus there's not enough receptors to allow any copper in, because zinc is plugging the input pipes, so to speak.

Most vitamin supplements these days will have zinc, but no copper, or even if they do, it's usually something like a 23:1 ration which has been shown to cause significant metabolic disturbances compared to subjects that received a 10:1 ratio, in human studies.

One of the main reasons for this imbalance is profit. Most vitamin manufacturers know that people seem to be aware of the importance of zinc, they know it can be good for immune function and that deficiencies cause health risk. But no one knows the health risks of not keeping a 10:1 ratio of zinc to copper, thus consumers don't care so vitamin manufacturers often leave out copper (save money/more profit), or supply far too little - adding to the imbalance we are already getting with out modern diets.

Important Trace Minerals Zinc and copper are essential minerals critical to health and commonly deficient in Western diets. An ongoing study tracking the nutritional intake of Americans found that 75% of older American adults were found failing to reach the RDA for zinc, and none of them achieved even the minimum recommended intake for copper. Yet while the importance of zinc is widely recognized, copper's crucial role in our health has often been discounted. An overemphasis on zinc has resulted in widespread, unbalanced zinc supplementation. And that has serious implications for your long-term health. Usurping Each Other's Positions Zinc and copper are so similar in their atomic structure that they can actually compete with one another, not only for absorption, but also for utilization in the body's biochemical pathways. When your intake of zinc is too high relative to your copper intake, the excess zinc actually interferes with the activity of enzymes, which depend on copper for their biological function, by stepping into copper's proper binding sites in the enzymes. When copper is not properly incorporated into these enzymes, they can't fulfill their biochemical duties. Too Much Zinc A high intake of zinc, without a balancing increase in copper intake, can therefore lead to a secondary, functional copper deficiency by competing for absorption and interfering with its metabolism. Research suggests that an excessive ratio of zinc to copper has a negative impact on cardiovascular and skeletal health. Zinc & Copper Functions Zinc is important for the functioning of the immune system and for the production of sex hormones, among many other important processes that occur in the body. Copper is necessary for many biochemical processes in the body including the regulation of cholesterol levels, red blood cell production, hormone production, antioxidant effects and others. Choosing a well balanced supplement containing both of these vital nutrients is the best way to ensure that the correct balance is maintained in the body.

Ten to One Both animal and human evidence suggests that, for optimal utilization of both minerals, the balance between zinc and copper should be about ten-to-one. This isn't just a theoretical concern. The Negative Effects of 23.5:1 In a series of human studies, putting volunteers on a diet and supplement regimen in which the ratio between zinc and copper was 23.5-to-one (and sometimes lower) - common zinc-to-copper ratios found in many multivitamins on health food store shelves - resulted in wide-ranging metabolic disturbances, including reduced levels of the copper-based antioxidants enzymes cytosolic superoxide dismutase and ceruloplasmin, increased total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, anemia, reductions in the body's levels of enkephalins (natural pain-killing molecules), and cardiac dysfunction.

From: http://www.aor.ca/en/product/zinc-and-copper-balance

References to peer reviewed studies:

Allen GD, Klevay LM. Copper: an antioxidant nutrient for cardiovascular health. Curr Opin Lipidol. 1994 Feb; 5(1): 22-8. Klevay LM. Lack of a recommended dietary allowance for copper may be hazardous to your health. J Am Coll Nutr. 1998 Aug; 17(4): 322-6. Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Wu K, Colditz GA, Willett WC, Giovannucci EL. Zinc supplement use and risk of prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003 Jul 2; 95(13): 1004-7. Lowe NM, Lowe NM, Fraser WD, Jackson MJ. Is there a potential therapeutic value of copper and zinc for osteoporosis? Proc Nutr Soc. 2002 May; 61(2): 181-5. Sandstead HH. Requirements and toxicity of essential trace elements, illustrated by zinc and copper. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 Mar; 61(3 Suppl): 621S-624S.

sigma6

11th June 2016, 01:50

Good to know... I've been taking extra zinc lately thinking I was building up my immunity... I think the best thing is seaweed products, and natural sea salts, himalayan rock salts... I'm sure it's better to get a tiny blast of a lot of elements at the same time... the ancient greek advice: moderation in all things (balance) always comes to light... Mega dosing on vitamins constantly is dangerous without "rests/fasts" in between... to give the body a chance to eliminate excess and rebalance...

Daozen

11th June 2016, 08:46

I'd be wary of taking copper in a supplement. Especially considering the low quality of many supps. It could be very dangerous. The copper RDA is 1mg, IIRC. A salad of basil leaves, nuts and mushrooms would give a large hit of copper (as long as soils weren't depleted), so there's no need for supplementation IMO. Nature puts co-factors in foods for a reason.

Olaf

11th June 2016, 13:32

Here are the results from my patients who have performed a heavy metal analysis:

Total number of metal analysis in urine: 33
Very high copper (but below limit): 1
Extremely high copper values above limit (>75 µg/g): 5
Low copper values (<30 µg/g): 1 <-- These people need additional copper.

This is for people from Germany. Mean copper value in food depends from amount of copper in the soil.