In normal amounts, copper is good for you. It supports soft tissue strength and blood volume. But too much can be dangerous…
If it builds up, it will make its way to your brain. Once there, it leads to brain toxicity and, ultimately, Alzheimer’s disease (AD).1 But even before that it can do plenty of damage. Too much causes panic attacks, migraines, brain fog, and insomnia.2
Don’t think you’re at risk? Think again. Copper is hard to avoid. Vegetarian sources of protein like nuts, seeds, beans, grains, and kale are all rich in copper.
| Zinc does more than just chase the copper out of your brain. It actually enhances your brain cells’ ability to communicate with each other. Researchers believe that this also helps prevent seizures.5 |
You also get exposed through your environment. If you have copper pipes in your home, it’s in your water. If you use copper cookware, it may end up in your food.3
And finally, if you’re deficient in a certain nutrient—which many people are—copper can easily build up in your system. It’s no surprise why…
Not only does this nutrient remove the copper from your brain, it balances the amount in your body.
If you have enough of it, zinc “chases away” the copper when there’s too much in your brain. That allows your cells to heal naturally when the copper is gone.4 And by binding to extra free copper that escapes your stomach, zinc stops it from winding up in your brain.
Don’t take your brain for granted. Keep it working at its best by keeping copper where it belongs. Adding zinc to your diet is a safe, natural way to prevent copper poisoning. To get more of it, you can find it in oysters, pumpkin seeds, beef liver, nuts, dark chocolate, and eggs. Some of these foods are also sources of copper. And that’s ok—the zinc will bind to it and prevent it from winding up in your brain.
References:
1 http://www.naturalnews.com/043581_zinc_copper_toxicity_brain_cells.html
2 http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/copper_toxicity_syndrome.htm
3 http://chriskresser.com/rhr-could-copper-zinc-imbalance-be-making-you-sick
4http://science.naturalnews.com/2010/1408728_Zinc_prevents_the_copper_induced_damage_of_cultured_astrocytes.html
5 http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/news/zinc-regulates-communication-between-brain-cells
1 http://www.naturalnews.com/043581_zinc_copper_toxicity_brain_cells.html
2 http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/copper_toxicity_syndrome.htm
3 http://chriskresser.com/rhr-could-copper-zinc-imbalance-be-making-you-sick
4http://science.naturalnews.com/2010/1408728_Zinc_prevents_the_copper_induced_damage_of_cultured_astrocytes.html
5 http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/news/zinc-regulates-communication-between-brain-cells
