iThyroid.com

COPPER NUTRITION INFORMATION by Charles Weber

Copper Sources and Nutrition; Food to Treat Slipped or Herniated Discs, Hemorrhoids, Emphysema, Aneurysms, and Gray Hair. by Charles Weber Copper nutrition is crucial to avoid slipped discs, hemorrhoids, emphysema, aneurysms, and poor immunity. Ways to improve copper metabolism are shown below. Liver and shellfish are the richest sources.

If I am correct in this, there should be very little of these strength of elastin tissue diseases among people who eat a lot of shellfish, especially east coast oysters [Mason p1998]. Some of the advantage of east coast oysters may have disappeared now that the copper smelters have moved west to be near the mines. Shellfish use a copper pigment instead of iron to transport oxygen. Squid and sour bugs are included for this circumstance. Squid has a fairly large fraction of the copper in the skin. It may be that they use the skin for excretion because the skin also contains much of the cadmium [Gajewska]. Cadmium causes changes similar to a copper deficiency [Lefevre, et al] [Festa , et al].. Copper tends to mute the toxic effects of cadmium [Costanzo, et al] and silver [Underwood p72]. Even so, it is probably best not to use the skin of squid.

The richest source of all is sheep liver, about two times cow liver and duck liver, and about ten times all other livers*. These other livers range from about 7 to 14 mg per pound. Dog and cat foods are also high in copper because copper is added. I do not know what the averages are for them. However, they are probably at the very least a fair source for poor people.

Vegetables high in starch have about 1 mg per pound. Legumes have a range the same as most livers, as do some oil seeds. Cereal grains are about half this. However do not be misled by figures based on weight for food which contains no water. Foods containing water have to be multiplied by the inverse of the water content to be comparable, or better yet, compared on a calorie content basis.. A dried apricot has exactly the same mineral content as it had directly from the field, for instance, per calorie or per weight. Leafy vegetables are probably higher than starchy vegetables, but I have no figures at present. Honey is very low, comparable to milk. [Lawler & Klevay]

Drinking water can contribute as much as 0.8 mg per day if it comes through copper pipes. Soft water and acid water contribute the largest amount [Sparrow, et al]. Copper bracelets are a rather ineffective source, but can have a small measurable effect on arthritis, especially in summer.[Walker & Keats]. It probably would be significant if a dozen or so wide bracelets were worn in summer, especially if they were corroded. I suppose for people who refuse to gain copper any other way it would be better than no way. I suspect that there will prove to be a strong negative correlation between acid water from copper pipes and aneurysms, slipped discs or hemorrhoids.

Milk The poorest unprocessed source is milk. It contains less than 1/4 mg per pound. This may be an adaptation to protect the mammary glands or the baby against microorganism growth. Babies solve their copper problem with large stores in their liver. Adults who eat large amounts of milk would be at more risk if they had no other good source of copper. Milk is the food scientists use when they wish to create a copper deficiency in animals. This low copper content may be part of the large increase in cardiovascular disease which has been statistically associated with milk.[Seely][Klevay 1974]. Milk is said to be a greater risk factor than smoking cigarettes. All the cheeses are included in this category. If its copper content is the cause of its being arisk factor, correcting the problem should prove to be very easy.

The necessity of dealing with this circumstance is no doubt the reason for the different handling of copper by women vs. men and the strong effect of female hormones on copper physiology. The lesser effects of copper supplements on women with arthritis*, the much less rate of aneurysms among women, and the tendency for these differences to recede as women get older is probably related to that necessity. What little copper is in milk must be part of its cellular components. Copper must be virtually unavailable to most bacteria attempting to live in milk, and this may be the reason why women evolved the ability to give their babies copper through liver storage rather than by milk content.

Interfering Food Elements Eating large amounts of zinc interferes with absorption of copper [Fischer, et al][[Cheek, et al]. Using "all purpose" vitamin supplements devoid of copper such as used to be prevalent is thus rather dangerous. Eating large amounts of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is thought to interfere with utilization of copper within the body [Underwood p71] although Evans thinks absorption is decreased [Evans 1973b]. Vitamin C causes ruptures of the aorta in deficient animals [Owen]. I do not know what the mechanisms are. Gaining carbohydrate in the form of sucrose or fructose will more than triple the mortality from ruptures in the top of the heart in copper deficient rats [Reiser]. So far as I know the mechanism is unknown. Phytates which are found in wheat tend to decrease absorption somewhat [Underwood p71]. A copper metabolism poison has been found in one of the wild nightshade plants Childers & Russo, so that it is conceivable that the tame nightshades, tomatoes, potatoes, egg plants, peppers, and tobacco have vestiges of something similar. Sulfide acts to inhibit absorption [Sarkar] p238], which might be of interest to those who still take sulfur and molasses. Molybdenum causes symptoms of a copper deficiency even though the liver copper stays high [Evans 1973b]. The minimum daily requirement must then be partly a function of the status of one's other nutrition. I feel that it should be possible to receive enough copper even if all the above interferences are present, although I know of no research which establishes this. Someone who is receiving marginal amounts of copper, however, appears to me to be in grave danger if even a few of the above interferences are present. It may be prudent to cut back on most if not all of them.

Copper Toxicity Too much copper is toxic. The amounts showing acute toxicity are large. A man sized pig must receive over 200 mg one time to show obvious acute signs [Higgins]. About ten times this amount is a favorite way to commit suicide in Bombay, India*. I suspect that a chronic toxicity for years can cause loss of weight, high blood pressure (salt intolerant), impotence, loss of ability to excrete potassium resulting in nighttime muscle spasms, and lymph edema. I suspect that most of these symptoms probably arise from a concurrent zinc deficiency because of interference with zinc absorption. The edema could conceivably be connected with disruption of potassium channels. In a study, Choe and his colleagues used X-ray crystallography to resolve the structures of four potassium channels from the sea slug Aplysia. The channels, called Shaw, Shab, Shal and Shaker, represent the four classes of potassium channels found in all higher organisms, including humans. With the exception of Shaker, all of the channels contained four zinc atoms in analogous positions. "Each channel resembles a funnel," said Choe, "and the zinc elements ring the end that empties into the cell's interior." Neuroscientists have known for decades that dyes that bind to zinc stain brain cells in unique patterns, indicating that zinc should have a role in brain function. And studies have shown that zinc can enhance learning in undernourished children. The nature of zinc's organization in the brain, however, had been unclear.

Copper does not interfere with zinc as badly as zinc interferes with copper [Cheek, et al] but it does interfere. I suspect that swelling of prostrate tissue via a zinc deficiency accounts for some of the above symptoms by interfering with bladder emptying.. A zinc deficiency may be connected to swollen prostate tissue, since zinc inhibits prostate growth*.

Toxicity Some members of society are or may be at great risk from copper toxicity. People who have Wilson's disease (a genetic inability to synthesize ceruloplasmin), one of the three most common forms of schizophrenia*. and babies head the list. For some reason schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis seldom occur in the same person while a group of ankylosing spondilitis patients almost all had schizophrenia or an atypical psychosis [Osterberg 1978]. Diabetics are more efficient at absorbing copper, and may have a narrow safe range as already mentioned. For a discussion of copper toxicity see http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section1/chapter4/4j.htm . Two mg per day has been recommended for copper deficient babies, but I suspect this is much too high if maintained. Premature babies are usually born with too small a liver reserve to get safely past the nursing period, but one must use care with supplements. 0.09 mg per 100 Kcal has been recommended [Mason p2028]. I suspect that a seat of the pants criteria for such babies would be little more totally than the amount in the liver of normal babies above and beyond the amount they otherwise would receive in their milk. Normal should probably be two or three times as much per body weight as adults require or about 0.08 mg/Kg. and 0.04 for toddlers Perhaps that ratio should be less for very fat babies. A full term baby has 230 parts per million of copper in its liver*, or 105 mg per pound of liver. I know of no way to determine clinically how much it actually contains although modern ultra sound devices should be able to determine liver size. Red blood cell superoxide dismutase has been proposed as a good criteria of copper status in rats [Feller, et al]. Serum contents are not a reliable indicator since infections, emotional stress, and possibly potassium deficiency have an overriding effect. Liver biopsies are impractical but would be the best way if they were available [Klevay & Madeiros, 196, p2423S]. Hair analysis is ambiguous, does not change much [Danks p222], and subject to contamination. Marginal copper deficits do not change serum copper, or tissue copper-zinc superoxide dismutase enzyme even though ultra structural alterations in the heart, reduced copper in the brain, markedly decreased IL-2 production, and reduced immune function appear [Hopkins & Failla].

Copper combined with a wide range of chelating agents have been recommended for rheumatoid arthritis [Sorrenson & Hangarter]. I have no evidence that such a strategy is unusually dangerous. However, I think some caution is in order because when lysyl oxidase activity increases, blood pressure does also [Iwatsuki et al]. It is not possible that inhibition of this enzyme operates through artery wall thickness because the effect takes place in a week. I suspect that this is an adaptation to help protect arteries weakened by copper deprivation from rupturing. If massive doses are given it is conceivable that this protection could be defeated before arteries have a chance to strengthen. Elastin has a fairly high turnover rate [Robert] and lysyl oxidase has a half life of only 16 hours [Siegel]. However strengthening is hardly instantaneous. I suspect one must allow at least a week for sure significant strengthening. A normal body contains only 150 mg of copper*, so even someone containing only half of normal should be able to correct a deficiency in a reasonable time with a total intake no more than ten mg per day (8 mg supplement), but cutting intake back to 6 mg total or so total [Osterberg 1980 pp. 135, 142] upon repletion and making sure that seven times as much zinc is taken with the supplement dose. Completely safe supplementation for people with weakened elastin tissue may yet prove to be a little less than this or should be this but coupled with blood pressure medicines. In animal experiments adequate intake may be 5 to 10 times as high as intakes which cause deficiencies [Klevay & Madeiros 1996 p2422S]

It is possible that growth of funguses is enhanced by free copper. Growth is enhanced by externally applied copper. That large amounts of copper can be toxic should definitely not make one reluctant to use reasonable copper supplements if you are not in one of the copper abnormal groups mentioned above. For normal people on a marginal diet I suspect that a supplement of 4 mg per day would be adequate and very desirable. I suspect that amounts 2 or 3 times this would have little adverse affect, but I know of no experiments. People eating unprocessed food devoid of milk and in an active life probably usually need no supplements or extra liver. However if you have a slow healing spinal disk, varicose veins, shaving cuts, hemorrhoids, or emphysema I would warmly recommend at the very least considering eating shellfish. Elastin diseases are extremely dangerous.

Effect on Society The degenerative diseases mentioned above (aneurysms, slipped disc, hemorrhoids, emphysema, arthritis) are among the most destructive, painful, and numerous in our society. If copper status is an important parameter affecting them as I suspect, increasing copper intake should have a dramatic effect on our collective health. That copper is below optimum in a large number of people is virtually certain from current evidence. People vary considerably in their genetic makeup, and there are several dozen enzymes and hormones containing or affecting copper, so it should not be surprising that the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and the other diseases above should vary greatly or that "spontaneous" remissions are possible. When you further consider that other nutrients and circumstances also vary enormously, especially for those eating processed food, it is not safe to assume that copper is not deficient because all the symptoms are not present. Any symptom should trigger consideration of increased intake from some source.

Clinical Strategies It seems to me that injections of GRMF and interleukin-1 along with other hormones secreted by T-cells would be of considerable value in fighting AIDS if done right. Small amounts injected every ten minutes or so would be the only efficacious way since the half life of the protein peptide hormones is usually low, as little as 6 minutes in the case of cachectin. [Hall & Goldstein]. If T-cells prove to be responsible for mobilizing copper but the hormone can not be isolated, I would suspect that ceruloplasmin should be injected also but its long half life would seem to make unnecessary frequent injections. If secretion of immune hormones responsible for removing cancer in the body such as the synergism which has been demonstrated between interferon and cachectin (tumor necrosis factor) for breast cancer* prove to be dependent on copper for maximum production, ceruloplasmin injections may be in order for people who refuse to eat copper in addition to injections of those hormones. If injections of these peptide hormones are the only way to resolve the situation many small injections are the way it should be done. Massive injections once a day such as are currently used are both ineffective and dangerous. Frequent injections may seem irritating to the patient and unprofitable to the medical profession, but the main consideration is to get rid of the disease. When the hormone massively injected is insulin, wild swings in other hormones are also created, notably 18 hydroxy deoxycorticosterone (the potassium retaining hormone) and probably cortisol also. It is possible that diabetics subjected to such drastic swings have the disadvantages of some of the worst effects of both the high and low states, especially in the case of cortisol. It may be the source of some of the health problems that diabetics are afflicted with.

I would also suspect that if strains of bacterial diarrheas could be developed genetically devoid of their ability to synthesize the c-AMP stimulating enterotoxin and encapsulated in an enteric tablet in overwhelming numbers in order to avoid destruction by stomach acids, it might be possible to prevent most of the potassium loss implied in those diseases by competition of the mutant strain with wild cholera and thus not be hung solely on the cortisol system to survive. It might also prove to prevent the disease during an epidemic. When the patient goes back to eating food again, it might be a good idea to start with foods low in copper such as milk and honey, and of course oral rehydration (ORT) salts right from the start, which include potassium, which last is now done. If copper is low ceruloplasmin injections would probably solve the problem of using low copper foods.

There is no excuse for humans to have a copper deficiency. Shellfish are excellent sources and have already been part of successful farming procedures (oysters) or have a high probability of being able to be farmed without too much environmental damage (shrimp). In addition there are vast tonnages in Antarctic krill. Furthermore some species of terrestrial snails are considered pests and actually exterminated and discarded. For those who have religious or quasi-religious convictions, or taste instincts against eating shellfish or liver, supplements are inexpensive. There is enough copper in one small electric motor to keep a whole town supplied for quite a while. Better the copper into supplements than into a motorized wheel chair, but always in moderation and with seven times as much zinc.

The author, Charles Weber, has a degree in chemistry and a masters degree in soil science. He has researched copper for over 25 years, primarily a library research. He has cured his own slipped disc and other symptoms with copper.

From John:

A lot of the information really ties in with what we've seen in hyperthyroidism--the fact that milk and fruit are bad for hypers, how cadmium and zinc affect copper, etc.

It is particularly interesting that babies take a lot of copper from the mother before birth and store it in their livers since the mother's milk is very deficient in copper. This may offer an explanation for the development of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy.

While other studies in the literature mention that fructose is especially bad for copper-deficient persons, he says that sucrose also is. I guess staying well away from all sweets is the best strategy until copper is replenished.

I found it extremely interesting that the nightshades, (tomatoes, potatoes, egg plants, peppers, and tobacco) have a "copper metabolism poison." This is really astounding news and not only warns hypers to stay away from these foods but might offer evidence of why the nightshades have an adverse effect on arthritics. We have seen how many people with thyroid disease have trouble metabolizing calcium and show very high levels of calcium in their hair. Perhaps this is from eating nightshades. It would be pretty amazing if the consumption of nightshades was involved in the cause of thyroid disease. We've seen that smoking tobacco increases thyroid disease. Maybe tobacco is a double toxin--both cadmium and the copper metabolism poison. Of course, this copper metabolism poison could be cadmium. We don't know yet. But I would like to contact the author to see what evidence there is for this poison.