1. Copper Gives Us Color
Copper is a trace mineral that is responsible for many activities in the body. The highest concentrations of copper are in the liver and brain, but copper is located throughout the body. One of the major functions of copper is to stimulate the production of melanin, which provides the pigment for the skin, hair and eyes. Some forms of albinism are a result of problems with copper metabolism.
2. Eat Your Oysters
You can get copper from a number of foods. Oysters and other shellfish are very high in copper, as are Brazil nuts, almonds and hazelnuts. There is no Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for copper, but most experts agree that 1.5 to 3 mg per day is safe and adequate for adolescents and adults. If your home has copper pipes, you might get copper in your diet through your water supply. However, if you use a water purifier or use mainly bottled water, this will limit the amount of copper you receive.
3. Copper Protects Your Heart
Many problems can occur if you don't get enough copper in your diet. Heart problems are possible, like the build-up of plaque in your arteries or a more serious condition known as an aortic aneurysm, a ballooning out and possible rupture of the aorta. Copper deficiency can cause an increase in bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.
4. Wearing Your Copper
People with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions often wear copper bracelets. Some studies show that these are effective, while other studies have not. There is some scientific support that the copper in these bracelets absorbs through the skin and lessens pain and inflammation.
5. Keep it Balanced
If you use supplements to get more copper in your diet, you should do it on a 10 to 1 ratio of zinc to copper. This means that if you are taking 30 mg of zinc you should take 3 mg of copper. However, if you are taking higher doses of zinc to treat a specific condition, don't increase your dosage of copper to more than 3 mg. Get your cholesterol levels checked and reduce your zinc dosage if you see significant alterations caused by an imbalance in this ratio. Copper toxicity is rare, but it can occur. Luckily, our bodies have a built-in mechanism to deal with this. As little as 10 mg of copper causes nausea and 60 mg leads to vomiting.
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