Are you aware of the many health problems linked to too much copper? Copper toxicity may be the cause of your health problems.

Copper is one of the trace elements required by your body for normal and healthy function. Last week I discussed the most abundant trace element in your body; iron. Today I will cover copper, which happens to be the 3rd most abundant trace element in your body. Trace elements include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, cobalt, chromium, etc. They are called trace elements because they are required in relatively SMALL quantities and they are elements which are the most basic building blocks in body chemistry.

The daily dietary requirement of copper is about 2mg for most people and common sources include red meat, organ meats, chocolate, shell-fish, nuts, seeds, beans and copper water pipes. Copper is absorbed in your small intestine and your body stores approximately 100mg of this element. Many people, especially women, are susceptible to copper overload…copper toxicity. Functional medicine testing can determine if you have too much or too little copper in your body. Assessing copper balance must include proper testing of zinc and iron status.

Copper Functions

• Proper iron transport from tissues to the bones where red blood cells are made.

• Energy production in cells

• Nerve health and function

• Neurotransmitter production; especially the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine

• Fertility and maintaining pregnancy.

• Immune function

• Collagen formation (youthful skin and connective tissue)

Women often have copper imbalances due to higher levels of hormones; especially estrogen. Copper is closely linked to estrogen metabolism. Elevated levels of estrogen and major hormonal shifts can alter the way your body manages copper. For example, copper is required in larger amounts during pregnancy to support blood vessel development in the fetus and increased blood cells production in the mother. If after delivery, copper regulation is not normalized, the mother can suffer from copper toxicity and this can have a significant impact on her mental health and general body function. Hormone replacement therapy, the use of hormones for birth control or copper IUD can also lead to chronic high copper in the body with similar results.

Copper Toxicity 

• Fatigue

• Hair loss

• Brain fog

• Low libido

• Mood swings

• Allergies and mold sensitivity

• Adrenal exhaustion

• Constipation

• Racing mind (you feel wired and tired)

• Depression

• OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)

• Low thyroid function

• Panic attacks

• Insomnia

• Poor blood sugar regulation

While copper deficiency is much less common than copper toxicity, I have listed some problems linked to copper deficiency. You will notice that copper deficiency and copper toxicity can cause the same health problems.

Copper Deficiency

• Fatigue

• Anemia (low iron, zinc or copper can lead to anemia…not just iron)

• Low levels of immune cells

• Osteoporosis

• Nerve damage

• Depression

• Irritability

Are You Copper Toxic?

Assessing copper levels is more complicated than simply measuring the amount of copper in your blood. You may have NORMAL levels of copper, but still be toxic. This is because copper testing and evaluation must consider total copper, free copper and protein-bound copper levels. In addition to this, zinc must also be assessed because zinc and copper keep each other in balance. If you suspect that you suffer from excess copper, then seek the help of a functional medicine doctor who understands what the ideal level of these copper and zinc tests should be and HOW to bring them back into balance.

Zinc and copper and rarely assessed in traditional medicine and few doctors understand the importance of having these two trace elements in balance. If you have excess copper, then you must carefully lower the levels but not too quickly. If your body starts liberating and dumping copper too quickly, you can go through very unpleasant side-effects and emotional disturbance.

Do you have a copper problem? Getting properly tested is a very important step in restoring your health and wellbeing.

Functional medicine seeks to identify the root cause of health problems and restore health; copper excess could be one of your root cause health issues.

                      If you are looking for a functional medicine doctor in St. Charles, Naperville, or Orland Park, please contact us today!

If you would like more information about nutrient testing, functional medicine or Dr. Sexton go to napervilleintegratedwellness.com

Do your own research, inform yourself and ask lots of questions. When collecting information, you MUST consider the source. There is no shortage of false, misleading, outdated, profit-driven and utterly biased information in healthcare today; even from the most respected sources and organizations.

This approach to healthcare is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease. Why? The FDA enforces its position that these words can only be used with drugs. This approach does not use drugs.