One of my favorite functional medicine practitioners, Ann Louise Gittleman covers the issue of excess copper on the Heavy Metals Summit, which airs online Jan 29 to Feb 5, 2018.
The topic is – Copper: The Double-Edged Sword – and she shares how copper is probably the most insidious of the toxic metals:
I think what lead was to the ancient Romans, copper is to modern day Americans. And I think it may be the fundamental cause of many of our orphan illnesses, our mystery illnesses, and debilitating and aging biochemical imbalances.
She shares some of the sources of copper that are most prevalent in contributing to excess copper levels and toxicity:
I think first and foremost we have to look at copper plumbing, copper cookware, which is all the rage in this day and time. There’s naturally occurring copper in water. Birth control pills can be a source of copper, because of excessive amounts of estrogen and estrogen is connected to copper the way zinc is connected to progesterone.
There are copper IUDs that are very popular amongst so many of our young women. Even dental amalgams, if they are put in your mouth post 1976 can have a very high copper amalgam percentage. And then, of course, there are fungicides for swimming pools and foods. So that’s just the beginning.
Then there’s the copper that you’re getting in common foods. Whether it’s soy; whether it’s GMO soy or not. You’re getting that in tempeh, tofu, soy protein powders. Nuts and seeds, like cashew nuts and sesame seeds. Avocados; a very healthy fat, but high in copper nevertheless. And some of our shellfish. Then you’ve got your regular tea, your green tea, your white tea, your black tea, your bran, and even your brewer’s yeast.
One of the biggest factors that I see contributing to high copper in my clients who have low zinc and anxiety, is all the baking being done with nuts flours such as almond flour! The next two areas I see as being most problematic for women, is the birth control pill and copper IUDs.
Ann Louise talks about how excess copper can affect you: hyperactivity and ADD, thyroid issues, tooth decay, dementia, urinary tract infections, candida and functional hypoglycemia.
She also covers the following anxiety symptoms, which I commonly see in my clients and community: nervousness, phobias and unresolved fears, depression and even stuttering.
Here are my contributions to this important discussion:
- High copper and low zinc (because these two balance each other out), is one of the most common imbalances I see in my community of anxious individuals, and especially in women because of the hormonal influence.
- Other than removing the source of the copper, one way to address this is via zinc supplementation. If anxiety is a factor, addressing low serotonin and low GABA with amino acids like tryptophan and GABA helps until zinc increases and copper decreases.
- Good levels of zinc are also needed to make the neurotransmitters so once levels rise (as we get rid of excess copper) we can start to make our own.
Wendy Myers, Christine Schaffner, ND, and Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD, have spent the last few months gathering the right experts, information and protocols to help you understand the danger of heavy metals like copper, mercury, lead, cadmium and others, and what to do about them.
Every day, they help their patients regain health, in some part through heavy metal detoxification. People with incorrect diagnoses of multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression, insomnia, or thyroid issues, just to name a few, have found relief through innovative and individualized protocols to reduce the burden of heavy metals.
Register here to join us on The Heavy Metals Summit January 29 – February 5, 2018. See you on the summit! I know I’m going to learn a lot too!
Have you had issues with high copper and low zinc?
Feel free to comment or post a question below.
I had horrendous copper overload upon moving into an old house with ancient copper piping. A young mother with never a thought about driving or fear of traffic, I suddenly was having fear and always going from brakes to gas peddle. The traffic was very easy and not crowded in our rural area so there was no reason for my sudden fear driving and gaging distance between me and other cars. My husband is a biologist and quickly noticed the green in all our sinks and tubs as being from copper leaching into our water. The cure was changing pipes and running water a long time before drinking or cooking with it.
I now use zinc in the form most helpful and it has even changed my health so I hardly ever get a cold.
Are coffee enemas a good way to detox heavy metals, particular, copper?
Diane
Ann Louise and Wendy Myers actually discuss coffee enemas in this interview – Ann Louise says this: “I do think a coffee enema can be very important in
helping to remove toxic bile from the system.” It’s very individualized and she also says: “I personally can only do one coffee enema every two weeks… I find that the caffeine affects me adversely. And if I do do this, it has to be in the morning and not in the evening.”
I’m sure they will be discussed by other experts on the Heavy Metals Summit (I only have access to this interview right now) so be sure to tune in for more on this topic.
Jo
I’m sorry you had to go through this but thanks for sharing so we can all learn. Good for your husband! It sounds like he was not affected like you?
Glad zinc helps. Which form and how much do you use?
Dear Trudy,
When you feel a cold coming on, or you are flying, or exposed to someone with a cold I use a lozenge called “Eby’s Cold Cure.” Just one knocks out the pain the usually and inflammation in the nasal and upper glottis, that would feel like a sharp cutting pain when I would begin to get a cold. The zinc is called “Zinc aceticum 2x 40 mg, which is equivalent to 14mg ionic zinc. The thing it does is change the charge in the back of the throat as you suck (very important not to chew it) on the huge lozenge. This ionic zinc, by changing the throats chemical electric charge zaps the cold virus dead. Eby says to use 2 upon first noticing the sign of a cold. It is amazing and his science on the subject will amaze you. He can successfully shorten a cold by 7 days or more (that happened for me). For me it means no more doctor visits for severe colds and sinus infection or ear infections. Most of what I would get would be secondary infections to a cold, but now I never get a sever cold so no more need for antibiotics.
There are many instructions on his bottle for proper and safe use of this cure. He actually sold his patent to Life Extention so I would read his website about how he came to this way of treating a cold. A great and cheerful read. I am running out of this amazing stuff after having this cheap giant bottle of lozenges for years and will need to find out how to get more.
He even lets you know how some zinc formulations prolong a cold! Trudy and the rest of you all need to read up on it and experience life without cold infections. He does say not to use his zinc as a zinc supplement. It is high dose and only that high to make the charge change in your throat to kill rhinovirus. He is actually the discoverer of zinc use for colds. Please read carefully and follow his directions so you don’t overdose on zinc.
Blessings,
Jo
I’m in the abandoned group of copper deficient folk. I’m interested in work that focuses on copper/zinc/iron homeostasis. Copper becomes vilified but it is essential to so many enzyme systems.
Robin
This summit focuses on toxicity issues but there may be some discussion around low copper too… I’m curious how you know you have low copper and what symptoms you experience? and what resources you already have on this topic?
That’s great to read Trudy–
My copper was measured via blood plasma and serum. It was low and out of range on both measures. My serum ceruloplasmin was very low normal. My ferritin was very low normal. My zinc was normal but not at mid range. Yet, my hemoglobin is 14. I had been supplementing with about 15 mg of zinc for over a year. Practitioner who prescribed zinc didn’t assess for potential copper deficiency issues. I asked a different practitioner who was assessing my ferritin to check these levels. Now trying to figure out what to do. I suspect I am a low zinc and low copper person. Not much is written about that possibility.
Trudy–
Re symptoms…dysautonomia, stretchy skin, mast cell issues, fatigue… list goes on due to EDS and autoimmune issues. Copper is necessary to the proper functioning of several enzymes–lysyl oxidase, DBH, DAO etc..
During the Summit, can you discuss the new Cooper, Silicone, microchip, they are started to use in Abilify, and other, Bipolar and Schizo., meds. This subject has been in the news, and on naturalnews.com
Mary
Thanks for alerting me to this – I was not aware and don’t like the idea of this at all. Sharing this for other blog readers:
“Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center has become one of the few health care providers in the United States to use a grain-of-sand-sized sensor that, after being swallowed, can alert patients when they’ve forgotten to take medication.
Developed by Proteus Digital Health, the FDA-approved sensor is made from microscopic quantities of copper and magnesium. Powered by the human body (no batteries or antennas required), the tiny sensor turns on after reaching patients’ stomachs, where it begins sending signals to a Band-Aid-like, Bluetooth-enabled patch worn on the torso. The patch then decodes those signals into meaningful health information and sends it to users and physicians in an app.” https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-07-smart-pill-patients-meds.html
I have no idea what the long term implications are of this added copper and would hope patients have a choice in whether or not they want to use medications like this. Other than the copper, I have concerns about the Bluetooth/EMFs and added costs. And the fact that Abilify is used off-label for way too many people who very likely don’t benefit from it – like kids and elderly patients with dementia https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/bristol-myers-to-pay-19-5-million-abilify-off-label-marketing-settlement
Be sure to sign up for the online summit and post this questions for the experts
I would like to know, how to Detox, from the Copper, Silicone, implant, they will be starting to use in Abilify med’s and Bipolar and Schizo. Med’s. What are the long term effects of taking pills, with Copper implants, in the pill.
Mary – please see my other comment
I visit Northern Cyprus from time to time; It is actually named after the abundance of copper, mined in olden days.. Cuivre, Cupre.
Once, sitting with a group of women, they were making a green herb mixture. It resulted in a very dark rich green loose paste, a kind of pesto. All I remember is that it’s main ingredient is parsley.
I don’t recall its name. They told me it was taken as a protection or re-balancing from excess copper sometimes in the water. It was well known by the local, traditional folk.
I wonder if there is any research into natural, local cures (that do not cost a fortune in manufactured supplements)? it seems to me that best science comes from observing what succeeds naturally.
Rukaya
Thanks for sharing! This is so interesting and I’d love to know what the mechanism is and the entire recipe – a real foods approach is always ideal! I looked online but can’t find anything but will see if any of my colleagues know.
Parsley does contain copper and zinc so perhaps it has to do with the volatile oils and glutathione? I found this on WHFoods (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=100&tname=foodspice): “Parsley’s volatile oils—particularly myristicin—have been shown to inhibit tumor formation in animal studies, and particularly, tumor formation in the lungs. Myristicin has also been shown to activate the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase, which helps attach the molecule glutathione to oxidized molecules that would otherwise do damage in the body. The activity of parsley’s volatile oils qualifies it as a “chemoprotective” food, and in particular, a food that can help neutralize particular types of carcinogens (like the benzopyrenes that are part of cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke).
Maybe it has something to do with apigenin which is a flavonoid that increases brain connections and can also reduce anxiety via it’s effect on GABA? I blogged about this here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/apigenin-flavonoid-parsley-increases-brain-connections-reduces-anxiety/
Next time you’re in Northern Cyprus be sure to ask the locals and let us know
Hi Trudy, I’ve been following your blog for a few years now and tried off and on your suggestions for overcoming anxiety. At this point my therapist is encouraging me to try medication for the anxiety. I want to give the natural route one last go! This time under the care of a professional. Since you are no longer taking clients is there someone you recommend? I’m considering doing s Bain scan at the amen clinic but it’s a lot of money. I’m also considering finding a practitioner who’s been trained by dr Walsh. Your opinion is highly valuable to me so please if you have any suggestions I would be grateful. I want to be able to function and live a full life with my family.
Jess
I would look for a Walsh trained practitioner and make sure all of the possible root causes are addressed: https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/60-nutritional-biochemical-causes-of-anxiety/ I’d do this before going to the Amen Clinic. I have concerns about the procedure and contrast agent used and have heard that while useful to see what is happening in the brain, Spect scans don’t help figure out what nutritional approach is best.
I have another source of copper to add to your list of possible exposures. We built a new house and had all our water come from a rainwater collection system. We didn’t keep the ph balanced properly and the acid rain in Texas caused our water to leach the copper from our pipes thus causing us to get too much copper in our drinking water. We only realized it when we noticed our bathtubs were turning blue from the copper. By adding limestone or baking soda to the cisterns we solved the problem, but by that time I’m sure we had a relative zinc deficiency. I love and appreciate your blog!
Carol
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m glad you discovered this and found a solution. I don’t know anything about this and would hope the limestone or baking soda added to the water doesn’t cause other issues?
Hi Trudy,
Like someone else who commented, I’ve supplemented copper as a result of having low copper levels in addition to low zinc. I worked with an integrative psychiatrist who specialized in gut issues, chronic illness, Lyme disease & Autism. If I remember correctly chronic viruses can deplete copper & iron along with other things. I did also test for having high levels of lead and so used an infrared sauna & calcium bentonite clay masks for detoxing (EDTA caused really bad herx reactions). The psychiatrist did also address methylation & mitochondrial issues and my anxiety pretty much disappeared. While I don’t use copper cookware, I do appreciate my copper sink.
Sarah,
I’m the low copper person. How did you find that psychiatrist? I’m impressed with your results. None of the psychiatrists around me are integrative.
Sarah
Thanks for sharing and glad you found your solutions – it sounds like there were multiple root causes. I’m curious what copper and zinc labs your doctor ran and if they looked at plasma zinc:serum copper ratio of 1:1? (https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/zinccopper-balance-in-autismpyroluria-dr-usman/) Or how were zinc and copper levels determined?
In addition to blood/plasma measurements of these heavy metals, in this discussion – copper. Hair analysis (telling us what is going on within the cells) may offer a totalky different picture. A friend of mine who was unwell had a hair analysis, the copper was off the measured scale. This explained why he always had the symptoms of hypothyroid as his cells wouldn’t absorb the thyroid hormone from his bloodstream due to the excessive copper. This is just one example of the imbalance this caused to his system. It was only picked up on the hair analysis.
Lisa
Thanks and yes hair analysis does show a great deal provided it’s interpreted correctly.
Can you pass on high copper to your children? About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with high copper through a hair analysis and all three of my children also had high copper with one really high. After a couple of years of going to that chiropractor, I quit and haven’t got a hair analysis since. We feel we are in decent good health but my daughter took the quiz about pyroluria and then got a lab test. Turned out she is a mild case. I always wondered why we would have high copper. My brother & his wife show signs of copper toxicity and they have a 21 year old son with debilitating shyness & anxiety. My mom just told me that when she was around 25 years old, she worked in a factory with copper wire. The boss actually told them to not touch the wire as much as possible because it can enter into your body. This was over 60 years ago! I was wondering if we inherited some of the copper toxicity and my nephew got a double dose from both his parents.
There are two forms of copper, copper-1 plant copper- used by cells, and copper-2 elemental copper – toxic. Copper-1 has been made through the actions of the sun on plants ie. photosynthisis from copper that plants convert from elemental copper in the soil. It is the form of copper that is needed by our cells and electron transporter chain, ie. it is part of our electrical current. We should not be removing food from our diet because it contains copper. Copper-2 is toxic because it can’t enter our cells and therefore builds up and can’t be utilized. So plant copper, copper-1 is what we are deficient in, and toxic elemental copper-2 is what we ingest through water, supplements with copper, utensils & pipes and pesticides sprayed on fruit. “It is recommended that industry consider ceasing to put potentially toxic copper-2 in supplement pills, whether regulatory agencies require it or not. They need to read the literature and realize they may be poisoning their customers. Second, it is recommended that industry manufacture a copper-1 containing pill, so that patients who require copper supplementation can take copper-1 rather than the toxic copper-2.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4690065/
Hi Trudy,
This is an older article but just read it today and it is excellent! What would you recommend in place of almond milk in people with a dairy sensitivity? We have been using almond or cashew milk in smoothies but I suspect myself and my 3 teenage daughters all have high copper. Thanks!
Dina
Filtered water and coconut milk or oil
I had recently had a hair analysis done that shows that I have low/normal levels of copper (one off from being low) and very high levels of zinc. I am wondering if you had any input on this type of circumstance where the levels were reversed (high zinc and low copper)? I had recently purchased a copper supplement to raise my levels and will lay off the zinc supplement that I had been taking, however I already deal with severe anxiety and OCD, so I am not sure if this is the best plan of action. Thank you any input that you can provide.
Kelly
I would use this zinc/copper testing https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/zinccopper-balance-in-autismpyroluria-dr-usman/
Apologies for the delay in your comment approval and my response. We had a computer glitch where a large number of comments were hidden from view in a spam folder. It mostly affected new folks who were commenting for the first time but it’s hopefully resolved now.
Hi, just saw Trudy’s reply on this thread which started way back in Dec 2017. What I have learnt is that there are different forms of copper, it all comes down to the number of electrons, elemental which is referred to as copper 0, (this the copper in nuggets, coins and pipes, it is in its stable form equally balanced with 29 electrons and 29 protons). In nature copper gets rained on, this changes the balance of electrons & protons and this is copper 2 making it oxidized, this is the form plants take up. our cells can not utilize these forms.
Then there is another form of copper, referred to as copper 1, this copper is photosynthesized by plants from copper 2. It is bioavailable meaning the ratio of its electrons and protons has been changed by the plants during photosynthesis and this is the form our body/krebs cycle uses to make energy. Our hair tests can not differentiate between the coppers. Until recently there has been no supplement that contains copper1. There is now. I have been using it for about 2 years. Please see all the research and development of plant copper in supplement form by Charles Barker, Mitosynergy. You will also be able to ask questions on FB. https://www.mitosynergy.com/information/copper/