Copper excess--Hey Rich, will methylation help?

[Dreambirdie]

Rich--

Just wondering what to do about my excessive copper...? I don't eat many of the copper-rich foods, so I don't think dietary changes are going to make a big difference.

I read that copper excess can be caused by weak adrenals, toxic liver, and not enough glutathione production. That sounds more like it.

What is your take on all this? Can restoring methylation correct the problem?

 

[uni]

Dreambirdie,

I'll wait for Rich, but I wanted to give my input on this.

How do you know you have excess copper? There are many websites out there claiming that copper toxicity is causing certain symptoms, but there is little to no evidence to back up their claims. Copper toxicity does occur, from excessive ingestion or due to certain conditions such as Wilson's disease (which causes excess copper to accumulate in the body). These can be diagnosed by tests - serum ceruloplasmin, serum copper, 24 hour urinary copper, liver function tests, KF rings, etc. If these tests are normal, there is no copper toxicity.

I think many people do hair analysis tests which are controversial and not supported by mainstream science. IMO, it is much better to run the serum ceruloplasmin + serum copper test + liver test and go from there.

 

[nanonug]

I think many people do hair analysis tests which are controversial and not supported by mainstream science. IMO, it is much better to run the serum ceruloplasmin + serum copper test + liver test and go from there.

I second this recommendation!

 

[Dreambirdie]

I am bumping this up, so Rich might find it.

I don't really care about mainstream science's lack of approval of hair analysis. My hair tests have shown consistently over the top copper, and I find this to be significant considering how excess copper affects the nervous system.

I wonder what Rich thinks about this.

 

[Dreambirdie]

Hi Rich--just trying again.

 

[Mij]

Dreambirdie, I had a hair analysis done years ago that showed normal copper levels. I also had a serum copper and serum ceuroplasmin test that showed both to be below normal range.

 

[richvank]

Hi, Dreambirdie.

I don't understand hair analysis well enough to comment on whether it is reliable for gauging copper levels in the body.

But in answer to your question, the transporters that move copper out of cells and out of liver and into the bile, in particular, require ATP to power them. Since the methylation cycle partial block mechanism does impact the mitochondria and hence ATP production, it might be possible that this could cause higher than normal copper levels.

The common cause of high copper is Wilson's disease, in which the transporter that is supposed to export copper into the bile has a genetic mutation, so that copper builds up in the body over time.

Best regards,

Rich

 

[triffid113]

Dreambirdie, I had a hair analysis done years ago that showed normal copper levels. I also had a serum copper and serum ceuroplasmin test that showed both to be below normal range.

Just curious what lab you used for the hair analysis? I used www.traceelements.com. It showed I had no copper deficiency at age 45 and that I did at age 50, which fits with the "fact" that estrogen helps one absorb copper. I believe young people rarely if ever have a copper deficiency but as your hormones wane it is very common. So I would tend to question any hair analysis that showed low copper in a younger person and any that showed high in an older person.

Triff

 

[triffid113]

Hi, Dreambirdie.

I don't understand hair analysis well enough to comment on whether it is reliable for gauging copper levels in the body.

But in answer to your question, the transporters that move copper out of cells and out of liver and into the bile, in particular, require ATP to power them. Since the methylation cycle partial block mechanism does impact the mitochondria and hence ATP production, it might be possible that this could cause higher than normal copper levels.

The common cause of high copper is Wilson's disease, in which the transporter that is supposed to export copper into the bile has a genetic mutation, so that copper builds up in the body over time.

Best regards,

Rich

New info! Very interesting. Thanks, Rich! There are so many cascades of one health condition causing another and that one causing yet another that it is sobering to say the least.

Triff