Copper is an essential metal that has been used for thousands of years, but can become toxic in excess amounts. Sources of copper toxicity include industrial exposure, some foods cooked in copper cookware, and supplements. Copper plays important roles in the body like bone health and energy production, but too much can damage organs like the liver and brain. Genetic disorders can also impact copper metabolism. Symptoms of copper toxicity include acne, headaches, and neurological or psychological issues. Diagnosis involves tests of copper levels in blood, liver, or hair. Chelation treatments with medications can help remove excess copper from the body.
Copper is an essential metal that has been used for thousands of years, but can become toxic in excess amounts. Sources of copper toxicity include industrial exposure, some foods cooked in copper cookware, and supplements. Copper plays important roles in the body like bone health and energy production, but too much can damage organs like the liver and brain. Genetic disorders can also impact copper metabolism. Symptoms of copper toxicity include acne, headaches, and neurological or psychological issues. Diagnosis involves tests of copper levels in blood, liver, or hair. Chelation treatments with medications can help remove excess copper from the body.
Copper is an essential metal that has been used for thousands of years, but can become toxic in excess amounts. Sources of copper toxicity include industrial exposure, some foods cooked in copper cookware, and supplements. Copper plays important roles in the body like bone health and energy production, but too much can damage organs like the liver and brain. Genetic disorders can also impact copper metabolism. Symptoms of copper toxicity include acne, headaches, and neurological or psychological issues. Diagnosis involves tests of copper levels in blood, liver, or hair. Chelation treatments with medications can help remove excess copper from the body.
Copper is an essential metal that has been used for thousands of years, but can become toxic in excess amounts. Sources of copper toxicity include industrial exposure, some foods cooked in copper cookware, and supplements. Copper plays important roles in the body like bone health and energy production, but too much can damage organs like the liver and brain. Genetic disorders can also impact copper metabolism. Symptoms of copper toxicity include acne, headaches, and neurological or psychological issues. Diagnosis involves tests of copper levels in blood, liver, or hair. Chelation treatments with medications can help remove excess copper from the body.
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 15
COPPER TOXICITY
Muhammad Adil Rasheed
COPPER It is one of the first metals ever extracted and it has made vital contributions to sustaining and improving society since the dawn of civilization. It was first used in coins and ornaments starting about 8000 B.C. Around 5500 B.C., copper tools helped civilization emerge from the Stone Age. The discovery that copper alloyed with tin produces bronze marked the beginning of the Bronze Age at about 3000 B.C. Daily intake of copper in adults varies between 0.9 and 2.2 mg, and in children between 0.6 to 0.8 mg (WHO, 1998). It varies according to age, pregnancy, and lactation. USES OF COPPER It is an excellent conductor of electricity, as such one of its main industrial usage is for the production of cable, wire and electrical products for both the electrical and building industries.
The construction industry also accounts for
copper's second largest usage because it is easily stretched, molded, and shaped. It is also resistant to corrosion. SOURCES OF COPPER TOXICITY Copper exposure in industry is primarily from inhaled particulates in mining or metal fumes in smelting operations, welding, or related activities. Sanitary fittings Insecticides and fungicides Copper wire Vitamin and mineral supplements (copper is an essential micronutrient, but too much can be deadly). Cookware. Beverages containers Stress Birth control pills and copper IUD's COPPER'S ROLE IN THE BODY
It has a number of important functions in the human body.
Bones and connective tissue. It is required to fix calcium in the
bones and to build and repair all connective tissue. Imbalances can contribute to osteoporosis, and almost all conditions of the skin, hair and nails.
Energy production in the cells. It is needed in the final steps of
the Krebs energy cycle called the electron transport system. This is where most of our cellular energy is produced. Any problem here causes fatigue, depression and other imbalances related to low energy. Immune Response. It must remain in balance with zinc. When imbalances occur, one is more prone to all infections, in particular fungal and yeast infections.
The glandular system, particularly the thyroid and adrenal
glands. The thyroid gland is extremely sensitive to copper. Common conditions seen with copper imbalance include hypothyroidism and even hyperthyroidism. Grave’s disease usually due to stress, copper imbalance and often mercury as well.
Reproductive system. It is closely related to estrogen
metabolism, and is required for women's fertility and to maintain pregnancy. Imbalance can cause premenstrual syndrome, ovarian cysts, infertility, miscarriages, sexual dysfunctions and more. It affects men less than women in this area, but it may affect men’s potency and sexual drive. Nervous system. Copper stimulates production of the neurotransmitters epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. Copper imbalances are highly associated with most psychological, emotional and often neurological conditions. These include memory loss, especially in young people, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. TOXICITY MECHANISM Copper in Nervous System Stress cause the Stimulation of sympathetic nervous system which release Adrenaline, Cortisol, and Aldosterone secretion. Aldosterone work by retaining Na and Cu and increase the elimination of Zn and Mg. When the Adrenal glands are constantly being stimulated by stress, the body retains Copper and eliminates Zinc. Zinc is necessary for the removal of all toxic heavy metals including Copper, and is also necessary for the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. When the brain starts becoming saturated with Copper but is lacking the necessary neurotransmitters to calm the brain, the mind becomes very agitated and is prone to severe mood swings. Copper and Blood
Copper must be bound to special binding proteins, Ceruloplasmin
and Metallothionine, in order to get into the cells where it can be used by the Mitochondria to make ATP in the Kreb's cycle. These proteins are made in the Liver upon receiving a signal from the Adrenal glands to produce these proteins.
If there is a dysfunction with either the Liver or the Adrenals than
these two proteins will be lacking and free and unbound Copper will begin accumulating in the blood. Excess copper in the blood causes weakening of erythrocyte membrane increasing there fragility leading to hemolysis. Oxidation of hemoglobin by copper leads to methemoglobin, which is unable to carry oxygen. This may aggravate the hemolytic crisis.
Copper and Liver
Accumulation of copper occurs in mitochondria and lysosomes
cause hepatocyte damage leading to cellular degeneration or necrosis. Hereditary Disease of Copper Metabolism Menkes Disease: This is a rare sex-linked genetic defect in copper metabolism resulting in copper deficiency in male infants. It is characterized by peculiar hair, , severe metal retardation, neurologic impairment, and death usually by 5 years of age.
Wilson Disease: It is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder of
copper metabolism characterized by the excessive accumulation of copper in liver, brain, kidneys, and cornea. Serum ceruloplasmin is low and serum copper not bound to ceruloplasmin is elevated. Urinary excretion of copper is high. Clinical abnormalities of the nervous system. Indian Childhood Cirrhosis (ICC): This is a disorder occurring in young children characterized by jaundice due to an insidious and progressive liver disease. The etiology is not known but it is suspected that bottle feeding of milk contaminated with copper from storage in brass vessels may be important.
Idiopathic Copper Toxicosis or Non-Indian Childhood
Cirrhosis This is a rare disorder in children similar to ICC occurring in some western countries. The largest series of cases are reported from Austria. This population also used copper vessels to store milk, and the incidence of the disorder has declined since replacement of the copper vessels. A number of other cases have been reported from other parts of the world, some from increased amounts of copper in drinking water. TOXICITY SYMPTOMS Acne, Allergies, Hair loss, Anemia, Anorexia, Anxiety, Attention deficit disorder, Arthritis, Autism, Candida overgrowth, Dysmenorrhea, Male infertility, Prostatitis, Migraine, Headaches, Insomnia, Neuralgia (nerve pain), Sciatica Hypertension, Hypothyroidism, Schizophrenia, Bipolar (Manic Depression) disorders. DIAGNOSIS The hair copper level is a very unreliable indicator for copper toxicity. So is serum copper, serum ceruloplasmin, and many other tests because the copper can hide deep in the brain and the liver. A liver biopsy is a good indicator, but is a painful and somewhat invasive procedure.
TREATMENT Clinical improvement can be achieved by Chelation of copper with d-penicillamine, Trien, zinc acetate, and tetrathiomolybdate. The combination of tetrathiomolybdate and zinc acetate is more effective. N-Acetylcystein amide can cross the blood–brain barrier And was developed to help prevent neurodegenerative disorders.
Strahlenfolter - International Center Against Abuse of Covert Technologies - Jesse Beltran & Lars Drudgaard Interview On Covert Technologies Affecting Us All - Thetruthdenied