The Lack of Copper minerals in our body can cause some serious issues, and in this article, we will understand that how we often do this big mistake of not identifying its deficiency. This majorly happens due to less intake of Copper into your diet. Did you know? Even a slight deficiency of Copper in the body can cause fatigue and lower your immunity. On the other hand, if there is a high deficiency of Copper, then it can even lead to death.
This is definitely not to scare you. We only talk logic & we will show you scientific facts and research articles on this. So let’s begin!Introduction and Some crucial roles Copper plays in our body! (PUBLISHED RESEARCH)
Copper is one of those essential minerals which is crucial for our health. When we say essential, this simply means, our body doesn’t produce Copper on its own, hence, it needs to be supplied from outside food, just like Zinc and Iron. Research has been published which shows the importance of Copper mineral, not only that, the World Health Organization (WHO) has also accepted that the deficiency of Copper is becoming a worldwide issue because even a slight lack of Copper can impact our health in many ways.
Copper does a beautiful and important job of binding with some protein chains, which further produces some enzymes that directly impact human body function. Here are some important ones:1. It is crucial in the production of energy cells that prevents fatigue and keeps you going the whole day.
2. It helps in the production of Collagen and Elastin- Not only maintains but also repairs the connective tissues, which is very crucial for our Heart and Arteries.
3. It helps in the creation of a few white blood cells that aid our immunity
4. It also helps in the creation of some red blood cells that ensure the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system.
These few major issues are caused by the deficiency of this essential mineral Copper!Quantity of Copper required by Human Body on Daily basis! (RECOMMENDED INTAKE)
The prescribed amount of daily Copper in micrograms per day depends on a number of factors like age, gender, etc. Here is a detailed table that will give you an idea.
- 0-6 months: 200 mcg/day (AI or Adequate Intake);
- 7-12 months: 220 mcg/day (AI);
- 1-3 years: 340 mcg/day;
- 4-8 years: 440 mcg/day;
- 9-13 years: 700 mcg/day;
- 14-18 years: 890 mcg/day;
- 19+ years: 900 mcg/day;
- Pregnancy (all ages): 1,000 mcg/day;
- Lactation: 1,300 mcg/day.
Our nature has given Copper to many food items, and interestingly, Copper can also be created by keeping normal water in contact with round Pure Copper Vessel like Bottle, Dispenser for 10-12 hours. This process is called Olygodynamic Effect. When you are taking care of your Copper intake, it is always best if you do not exceed the upper limit.
Some diet and lifestyle choices that cause Copper Deficiency in the Body (STUDY)
1. Less intake in Diet- The major reason for the copper deficiency is when you do not feed enough copper through your diet. You will find copper in many foods such as oysters and other shellfish, beans, nuts, potatoes skin, and organ meats (kidneys, liver) are abundant in copper. Additionally, leafy greens, dried fruits, and yeast are also good sources of copper but in lower supply. You will notice that people who are Vegetarians, are at higher risk of copper deficiency. Because the fiber in plant-based food decreases the bioavailability of copper, hence, in Ayurveda, Copper water is fed to the body very first thing in the morning which ensures a higher bioavailability/absorption of Copper mineral by the body.
2. High Alcohol Intake and Eating Disorder- People who drink high alcohol, or smoke, or eat junk food with fewer nutrients are at a major risk of copper deficiency. This is a common lifestyle of the corporate going people these days. Hence, scientific advice to them, next time if you feel tired or fatigued you might want to check your copper intake.3. Aged people- Copper is stored in the liver of the Human Body, hence, many elderly people with a fatty liver can face the deficiency of copper very quickly, hence, they should also watch their copper mineral intake as per the quantity written above.
4. During Pregnancy and Newborn Babies- When a baby is in the womb, it receives all nutrients from the mother and therefore a mother has to feed herself as well as the baby. During this time, always watch your copper intake within the given limits. Also, consult your dietician, because deficiency of copper in the mother can cause growth issues in the baby and some birth defects. After the birth, if the mother is breastfeeding then the child will get enough supply of Copper, however, if the baby is fed on cow’s milk, you might wanna check the copper intake in the diet. Summary of Effects caused by the deficiency of copper!Anemia ; Poor immune function- Easily fall sick; An increased risk of infection; Low body temperature; Skin and hair depigmentation; Osteoporosis – Muscle Loss; Bone fractures; Thyroid problems; Growth retardation; Delayed puberty; Brain tissue and nervous system damage; Cardiovascular disease;
In extreme cases, even Death!
How do we identify through body reactions, if we have Copper Deficiency or not? Covering major Symptoms!
The bad part about Copper deficiency is that you often confuse it with other diseases, whereas, the actual cause was the deficiency of Copper. And the worst part is, you may be lacking this for a long time, but you won’t know until it becomes severe. Interestingly, I have collected few signs that can help you identify the Copper deficiency. Here are they:
1. Takat Vatan ki humse hai, Aur humari Copper se ? ( Fatigue)
As we mentioned earlier that Copper plays a major role in the production of Red Blood Cells (RBC), therefore, a body lacking enough copper will not be able to supply the necessary oxygen to the organs for normal bodily functions, hence, you will feel tired most of the time.Apart from this, if you remember, ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) is the primary source of energy for our body, it takes the help of Copper mineral to actually become ATP. So next time when you feel overly tired, and lacking the energy to do something productive, you might want to check on the copper intake.
2. Aaj mood nhi h (I don’t have a mood) | Body mei dard hai (My body is paining) | mujhe gussa mat dilao ( Disturbed Mood swings) Common statements Right? Let’s see how copper can be one of the reasons for this!Copper is one of those important minerals that produces and maintains Myelin. And we all know that our nerves are covered in Myelin Sheath, which helps in transferring signals in the entire nervous system. Apart from this, an enzyme that contains copper also converts Dopamine into norepinephrine, which causes mood disruptions. Now we are going to list some important neurological conditions that can happen due to the lack of copper:
- Myelopathy is caused due to lack of copper in the Myelin sheath, which is responsible for the functioning of the body, pain and most commonly felt in your limbs like hands or feet, often termed as numbness
- Peripheral neuropathy causes weakness in the body as explained in the point above
- Improper synthesis of neurotransmitters, which causes a lack in the feel of any pleasure and can increase other issues related to mood. Just note one thing here, the cause of these neurological disorders, that we are commonly facing, starts from Copper Deficiency in our body.
3. Bhai mujhe sardi-jhukam jaldi hota h (lack of immunity)
As we talked earlier, Copper is one of the most important minerals that help in the productions of White blood cells (WBC), and if we have done our 9th class right, we know that WBC is responsible for fighting against all the bacteria and viruses present in the environment, which we call Immunity in scientific language. The start of this happens because of the Copper mineral in our body. Therefore, if you want to prepare yourself for a Common cold and cough, then Copper water in the morning is a must thing to add to your diet.
4. Yar mai padhta boht hu par yaad nhi rehta ( Issues with memory and learning)
The deficiency of copper can lead to some serious issues with learning new things and remembering the old ones. This is because the human brain needs some important enzymes for relaying signals, whose production totally depends on copper. In other words, if you are copper deficient then you might face a thought time learning and remembering.
5. Mujhe chalne mei dikkat hoti h (Difficulty in Walking)This problem is majorly seen in aged people and few young ones. So you need to understand that our nervous system is dependant on some enzymes that are manufactured with the help of copper. These enzymes work as bridges between the brain and spinal cord for a better signal relay. Hence, if a body is deficient in copper, it may lose limb-eye coordination and steadiness, therefore, difficulty in walking.
6. Mujhe fractures boht jaldi hote h (Weak and Brittle Bones)
This is a very commonly known issue called osteoporosis, which has been linked directly with a Copper deficiency in our body. Our bones have cross-links that are created with the help of Copper, which helps in the strengthening of our bones. Apart from this, Copper also helps in reshaping and strengthening bone tissue by creating Osteoblasts.
7. Bhai Mai Boht kam khata hu, fir bhi mota hu (Control of Thyroid glands and fat metabolism)The deficiency of copper can poorly affect the functioning of our thyroid glands which can further cause a failure in metabolism regulation. Simply put, you will get fat easily or won’t be able to increase mass. This happens because Copper directly impacts the production of T3 and T4 levels of Thyroid hormones. The Thyroid function is effectively impacted when these levels are low.
8. (Bro my skin looks pale/ My hairs are greying faster )Pale Skin and Premature Gray HairMelanin is one of the pigment that actually determines the color of your skin, and Copper is an essential mineral that is required for melanin production, a deficiency of which can cause pale skin and early greying of hairs.
9. (Lagta hai mujhe Chasma lagne wala hai )Loss of vision
If you are deficient in copper for a long time then it can directly impact your optic nerve, which can result in partial or total loss of vision. As we told you earlier that we are not trying to scare you, we just want to put forward some scientific facts that show the need (not want) of Copper minerals by our body. Do you understand now? Why Ayurveda is so focused on drinking out of a copper vessel?How can you identify Copper Deficiency in your body?
Blood test – This can be performed scientifically to identify the deficiency of copper which means the level of free unbound Copper in the blood. Ceruloplasmin is one of those proteins that is made in the liver and is responsible for carrying copper to the bloodstream for various bodily functions.
Urine test– This is simply a continuation of the blood test if the levels of ceruloplasmin are not normal.
Liver biopsy– This is performed to identify the level of copper in the liver. Copper is stored in the liver of the human body.
How can you treat the deficiency of Copper?
Food – As we talked about earlier that if you are maintaining a healthy diet that includes non-vegetarian foods like oysters, shellfish, nuts, potatoes skin, organ meats like kidneys or liver, then you are good to go. Your copper supply will be fulfilled. Otherwise, you might want to look at the two options below:
Supplying Copper through Pills or Supplements:
You can find copper supplements in the form of cupric oxide, cupric sulfate, copper amino acid chelates, and copper gluconate in the market to fulfill your copper deficiency, but there might be some side effects involved when you chose such medications. You may also choose the second option which is much safer and Ayurvedic, which is,
Copper-Infused Water ( Easier and Natural supply of Copper)This simply means, When you keep water in contact with a copper vessel for 10-12 hours, then The Olygodynamic effect happens! This effect infuses copper ions into the water & when you have this water, very first thing in the morning when the stomach is acidic in nature & the bioavailability of copper is high, then the required amount of Copper is automatically supplied to your body, to avoid all the above-mentioned diseases that you may face due to the deficiency of Copper. To read more about Copper bottles to make copper water and to know how copper water is used scientifically to ensure maximum health benefits, do see our another detailed blog Copper Water Bottle– Detailed User Guide on Quality, Purity and Right Usage!
Copper Poisoning- Let’s talk about this over-hyped phenomenon now!
We all know that excess of everything is bad and there is a permissible limit for even normal water. Although as per WHO there are more Copper deficient people in the world, which are increasing as we write this article than those of Copper toxic. However, if you have fallen into any such trap of Copper toxicity, which in itself is very rare, you might want to look at these symptoms and immediately stop the intake of copper. The symptoms of Copper toxicity may include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. More serious complications may include brain damage, severe liver damage, kidney failure, coma, and death, let’s hope you are not that stupid to reach this level.
Therefore you should look at the tolerable uptake levels for copper:
- 0-12 months: not possible to establish (sources should be only from food and formula);
- 1-3 years: 1,000 mcg/day;
- 4-8 years: 3,000 mcg/day;
- 9-13 years: 5,000 mcg/day;
- 14-18 years: 8,000 mcg/day;
- 19+ years: 10,000 mcg/day.
The Conclusion and Nichod (bottom-line) of the article
We saw that Copper is no doubt an Essential mineral for the Human body and when there is a lack of Copper we can encounter some serious health issues that will impact us in a very bad way. More importantly, if you are a mother who is pregnant or even on lactation, Copper deficiency can cause stunted growth of your child and many other complications. Severe copper deficiency is rare, although mild Copper deficiency is becoming more and more common these days due to the choice of a bad diet and even worse lifestyle.
We found that copper is one of the most important building blocks in many bodily functions. Now imagine Why Ayurveda speaks a lot about Copper? This knowledge has been recently proved by science and we knew this for more than 5000 years. Does that ring a bell, on how civilized and advanced the Indian civilization was? Well, that’s a topic for another day! We hope we were able to cover most of the points on Copper Deficiency and the Importance of Copper minerals in our daily life. If something is left, do comment, and let us know your point of view. We will leave you with a beautiful video on How Plastic Bottled water is Becoming a Curse to Human Society? And How Copper can be a Scientific, Cost-effective, and Value for money solution for this enormous $60 Billion market of Packaged drinking water?
PS- Please note that the information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is a scientific fact study we performed using various reliable resources.With Love, Nishant RahejaThe Amrit Life
www.theamritlife.com“Because Healthy water is Human Right – 72% of our body is water, if we are don’t regulate this well, then we are missing on a major percentage of Healthy lifestyle”
