Since copper is a metal and the human body cannot make it, it has to be introduced through diet. The body only needs small amounts of copper to play the vital roles it plays from metabolism to brain health. The total amount of copper in the body is less than the copper content in a penny, according to the George Mateljan Foundation.
Main Roles in the Body
All parts of the body use copper in some way or another. Copper mainly acts as an enzyme, or an element that speeds up or starts a reaction in a living organism. Many of the body's functions could not happen without enzymes. Copper helps strong bones and connective tissue, and supports the action of melanin to pigment the skin and hair.
Nervous System
Copper conducts electrical signals outside and inside the body. Copper helps stimulate the production of neurotransmitters such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. Without copper, memory loss, depression and other psychological disorders can occur, according to Lawrence Wilson, M.D., at the Center for Development.
In Medicine
Wilson and the George Mateljan Foundation state copper helps treat certain iron deficiency anemias by helping the blood properly utilize and transport iron. Additionally other conditions like thinning hair, certain inflammatory arthritis conditions and stomach ulcers can benefit from the addition of copper to the diet. Most of these conditions are helped by the enzymatic actions of copper, allowing for better protein formation for hair, decreasing inflammation and as siting in wound healing. Wilson goes on to say imbalances between copper and zinc can lead to mental health disorders and overgrowth of Candida yeast. The Copper Development Association states copper has been used for thousands of years in the purification of drinking water and even trying to help with skin wounds. There is even some very basic research starting into looking at copper and epilepsy.
Overdose
As the body only needs very little copper, supplementing with copper or eating foods rich in copper all the time can lead to an overdose. Symptoms of copper toxicity are vague, but include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. According to the George Mateljan Foundation, copper toxicity includes emotional disturbances more often when zinc is not balanced as well. Other conditions where copper can accumulate is in Wilson's disease, a genetic disorder which allows copper to build up in various organs of the body. High levels of copper in these individuals will lead to more violent emotional disturbances.
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