It’s been awhile since I’ve written a follow-up to my previous posts on questioning copper toxicity (here and here). I took a bit of a hiatus on the topic because 1) I wanted to test some ideas out and see how they played out with a few of my “copper-toxic” coaching clients and 2) some political issues arose in conversation with Jason Hommel, author of The Copper Revolution, that made it difficult for me to know how to proceed in talking about this controversial issue.
For context, I experimented with 30 mg/day of copper sulfate along with iodine, boron, zinc, vitamin C and B vitamins, for a few weeks, after reading Jason’s book The Copper Revolution. Jason convincingly dismantles some of the myths around copper’s so-called “toxicity”, which I outline in detail in my previous posts.
Copper is an essential trace element, and deficiencies in this mineral can lead to health problems that are equally as problematic, if not more so, than elevations in this mineral (think strokes, high cholesterol, weak connective tissue, weak immune system).
I, like Jason Hommel, am a HUGE fan of copper. It has done amazing things for my health, that I’ve tested over the years. At lower doses of 2.5-5 mg/day I have repeatedly confirmed that copper helps me to:
- support my vascular health
- support my immune system (copper is needed to make white blood cells)
- improve the oxygen saturation of my blood (important because migraine is caused by hypoxia)
- strenghten my connective tissue in hair, skin, nails, tendons, ligaments (valuable as someone who has hypermobility)
- reduce my overall load of histamine and inflammation (copper lowers histamine)
- improve my antioxidant status (copper is needed in the enzyme SOD)
- improve my thyroid health (copper is needed to convert T4 to T3).
- heighten my fertility (a vital sign, as made evident by cervical mucous measured as part of the fertility awareness method)
- improve my skin (although hyperpigmentation will occurs if insufficient vitamin C is taken with copper)
- increase my energy levels (copper converts dopamine into adrenaline).
At the right dose, and in right proportion to other minerals, copper is very compatible with my own particular metabolism, and has been far and away one of my most beloved minerals – which is why I was willing to do such an extreme experiment of taking 30 mg/day.
I’m glad I did, because it confirmed two things for me 1) Jason Hommel is correct (as many in his FB group confirm) that it is possible to take much, much larger doses than recommended, receive some incredible benefits, and not be in danger of poisoning oneself in terms of actual toxicity AND 2) copper has very apparent, and more importantly, very dangerous effects neurologically, that while not “toxic” in the traditional sense, certainly warrant considerable caution whenever taking copper (I explain further down).
Complexities in Interpreting and Addressing High Copper
In order to get the full benefit of copper, it is necessary, as with all nutrients, to do so with the proper nutrient cofactors in place. Without them, the symptoms of unbalanced copper will reveal themselves. In this way, we can see that a person who is supposedly “copper toxic”, and being told to address that by taking copper antagonists, may feel better when taking copper antagonists. This does not mean that the benefit they received necessarily came from lowering their copper – it may simply have come from no longer being deficient in the copper antagonists that they needed for other important functions.
However, more likely that person will feel WORSE on the copper antagonists. According to the copper toxicity framework, this is to be expected because they are “copper dumping”. In reality, the cause of the high copper in the first place may have been an intelligent mobilization of copper into their blood to combat a systemic infection (fungal, viral, etc) at the expense of low tissue level copper. When you add in copper antagonists, this may further deplete the already low cellular levels of copper caused by the body’s need to dump it into the blood to combat the infection. From this angle, taking copper antagonists to lower mobilized copper that is an intelligent response in a person who is deficient on a cellular level can worsen the situation.
So, it’s not always as simple as high copper = copper toxic. High copper may simply point to deficiencies of other nutrients, which will bring copper back into balance when remedied, or point to an intelligent adaptive mechanism the body is utilizing for another underlying cause like infection. We need to stay open to multiple possible interpretations rather than jumping to “copper toxic” right off the bat. Indeed, I’ve seen a number of cases of people who had elevated copper that I was trained to attribute their symptoms to, but when their copper levels came down the symptoms didn’t necessarily go away with them – ie, the copper was not the culprit. We should never demonize a mineral without thinking of alternative explanations.
Under-appreciated Copper Dynamics with Vitamins, Amino Acids, & Organ Systems
In examining some of the alternate explanations for why copper can cause problematic symptoms in some, I’d like to present some new perspectives. After a lot of research, I believe that people who don’t tolerate copper well cannot because of very specific deficiencies and toxicities that are not often discussed, as well as problems with certain organ systems that may be affecting how well someone tolerates copper. The presence of these deficiencies and toxicities can explain how these so-called “copper toxic” symptoms may be caused by other factors besides just copper itself.
Below is the wheel for nutrient antagonists of copper as presented by Trace Elements, the lab I use for HTMA:
It is well recognized that copper needs vitamin C and vitamin A to be made bioavailable, and sufficient zinc to stay in balance.
Because the above nutrient relationships have already been elucidated, the top nutrient deficiencies that I think need more consideration and are being overlooked in this equation (and do not show up in the above wheel by Trace Elements), have to do with:
- Iodine. None of the halides, including iodine, show up on an HTMA report. However, it’s important to consider the effects of copper on this important mineral. Copper lowers iodine. Copper is known to remove fluoride, and iodine has a similar structure to fluoride. People high in copper, who often have elevated copper because of estrogen dominance (since estrogen causes increased absorption of copper), will likely be lower in iodine. This is consistent with observations made in the medical literature that estrogen also lowers iodine (while iodine is needed to convert carcinogenic estrogens estradiol and estrone to the more healthful estriol.)
- Niacin B3. Although the chart above from Trace Elements does not show it, copper lowers niacin. Many in Jason’s FB group have confirmed that they get a pellagra-like rash when taking copper without sufficient niacin. Because niacin is utilized in the body in many copper-based enzymes, a depletion will occur or become exacerbated when those enzymes are sped up with more copper. It’s well-established that some (but not all) schizophrenics benefit from niacin, and elevated copper is one feature of schizophrenia (though it may not be the root cause). Niacin is also necessary for serotonin, so high copper without sufficient niacin can deplete serotonin.
- Tyrosine. Copper works in concert with tyrosine for many enzymatic reactions that affect thyroid function, the neurotransmitter dopamine and steroid adrenaline, and the enzyme MAO which has a direct effect on serotonin levels. Elevated copper will use up stores of tyrosine, causing its depletion in the absence of added tyrosine, and affecting all of these functions in the body.
The top toxicities that are often overlooked in regard to copper are:
- Fluoride & bromide toxicity. Taking copper with these toxicities may cause a fluoride and bromide dump. This doesn’t mean that copper is toxic, but rather, that copper is helping to detoxify these minerals from the body, which is a good thing. Conversely, it is worthwhile to consider that elevated tissue copper may be an adaptive mechanism by the body to help remove fluoride and bromide.
- Mercury toxicity. Mercury scrambles copper-dependent enzymes. Copper detoxes mercury so people may feel worse taking copper even if they do not have elevated copper, in the presence of mercury. Conversely, people with high copper may be lower in mercury. (I do not buy Jason Hommel’s argument that almost all of the so-called “copper toxic” symptoms are caused from copper’s ability to chelate out heavy metals like mercury, though some of that is also surely going on).
- Estrogen dominance (caused by iodine deficiency from fluoride and bromide toxicity) leads to increased copper absorption. Estrogen dominance also leads to increased candida symptoms. While on high-dose copper, I did notice an increase in dandruff, and my toenail fungus, which was almost gone, started to come back. Both toenail fungus and dandruff are forms of candida. Candida is usually linked to estrogen dominance, which copper does not directly cause – it’s actually estrogen that causes the body to absorb more copper so the two go hand in hand. However, because copper lowers zinc needed to keep candida in check, and to balance estrogen, copper indirectly raises estrogen and therefore candida. Candida in turn releases mycotoxins that overload the liver, further exacerbating estrogen dominance.
The top organ system challenges that will affect how well someone tolerates copper are:
- Adrenal gland insufficiency: copper stimulates the adrenal glands which can be helpful if they are sluggish, but too much copper may ultimately deplete them.
- Poor bile flow: the body regulates copper homeostatis primarily through the bile. With proper bile flow, true copper toxicity is unlikely to occur, but when the gallbladder is congested, copper may not get eliminated as easily, and it may build up in the liver.
Copper’s Negative Mental/Emotional Effects Are a Different form of “Toxicity”
When I did my 30 mg high copper experiment, I experienced high energy levels alongside an amped feeling that was initially wonderful but later verging on manic. After two weeks I also experienced weepiness, irritability, and depressive symptoms for no other apparent reason.
Copper has very distinct and strong affects on neurochemistry. Jason Hommel, the biggest proponent of high-dose copper, and the person who has been on high-dose copper for the longest time, is probably the best person to illustrate the impacts of copper on the mind and emotions. From my interactions him with him privately on FB I’ve observed that he swings drastically between behaviors and moods ranging from incredibly helpful, insightful, and kind to erratic, deluded, domineering, dogmatic, and paternalistic.
I was more than a little surprised when he kicked me out of his FB group for “slander” because I pointed out inconsistencies in some arguments being made. I also pointed out that Jason’s claims that copper raises serotonin and testosterone seem to be backed by very little evidence and instead, it appears that copper oxidizes or depletes both. It also lowers GABA.
Jason went so far as to say I was possessed by a demon, which seemed a little above and beyond whatever perceived infraction I had apparently inflicted. I definitely think he is on WAY too much copper, which doesn’t change the fact that he has some really good points about copper’s benefits. I especially appreciate his emphasis on the toxicity of fluoride, which I agree is a much more serious culprit in people’s health problems.
The small amounts of copper that people may be getting a higher exposure to from copper pipes are probably just as likely to be coming from the acidity of the fluoride in the water, which leeches the copper into the pipes. The fluoride itself is toxic and slows down the thyroid gland. When people go into this scenario of fluoridated drinking water and copper pipes with whatever nutrient depletions they may have, copper can build up and cause symptoms, but they’re mostly psychological and emotional. Women on the copper IUD who feel bad on it probably already had estrogen dominance and higher copper going into the IUD, along with other nutrient depletions, or perhaps other toxicities like mercury toxicity that exacerbate the issue. Although these manifestations of high copper aren’t necessarily a form of toxicity on a tissue level, they are toxic on a mental emotional level.
Conclusion
To me, it seems this argument about copper “toxicity” is somewhat of a semantical issue – whether copper is toxic or not depends on how you define toxicity. Copper toxicity on a cellular level causing organ and tissue damage can certainly exist, though I don’t think it’s anywhere near as widespread or easy to induce as many fear. In my view, copper is not nearly as dangerous as many people suggest in terms of toxicity, and instead is usually well regulated by the mechanisms the body has in place to prevent copper toxicity.
Unfortunately, copper’s bad reputation is preventing a lot of people that are copper deficient from gaining benefit from this amazing mineral.
The copper toxic symptoms people describe mostly have to do with copper’s affects on the adrenal glands and neurotransmitters, which will directly alter a person’s mood long before they are likely to become toxic on a cellular, tissue, or organ level.
