Copper toxicity: The root of all disease
Have you ever heard of copper toxicity?
Most likely not outside the context of Wilson’s Disease, which is an inherited disorder in which the body accumulates too much copper and cannot release the excess. However, the context in which I am referring to copper toxicity is not due to an inherited disorder. Excess copper in the body is a common problem nowadays. Especially among women who have a history of copper IUD, birth control, and prescription contraceptive use. Even if you have never had personal use with prescription contraceptives, this copper excess can be passed down from mother to offspring if she has a history of using a prescription contraceptive. Case in point, we most likley all have excess copper in our body and tissues.
You have probably seen copper levels in range on a lab serum test, which means you definitely don’t have excess copper, right? Unfortunately, this is not the truth for most.
Blood serum labs do not show copper that has become unbound, in excess, and hidden in the tissues. Tissues like the liver, brain, hair, and throughout the body.
What does show toxic levels of excess copper - Tissue. Such as a hair tissue sample.
Naturally, we would like to have plenty of bioavailable magnesium in the body to help retain other minerals like calcium, but also to support our adrenals and bodily processes. Magnesium in adequate amounts supports the adrenals. The adrenals communicate to the liver to produce proteins that bind to copper for use. And excess copper in the body would be smoothly excreted through bile from the body. This well-functioning system would keep the body from accumulating copper in excess.
Here’s what is really happening:
Most individuals are depleted of magnesium whether that be a genuine deficiency or a loss of magnesium through the tissue. When magnesium becomes depleted, due to stress, whether that be due to the physical, mental, or emotional. In the absence of magnesium, the adrenals are impacted. The adrenal glands are less likely to have the resources to do their job. In turn, weakened adrenals become less responsive in letting the liver know to produce ceruloplasmin. Ceruloplasmin is a protein that is responsible for binding to copper in the body. Though copper may seem like an evil mineral, when bound by ceruloplasmin in the body and carried to where it needs to go, copper is vital for energy production and other necessary processes. So what happens when copper is left unbound by ceruloplasmin and transported for specific uses? It is free to make its own decisions, like a child on a playground whose babysitter is busy doing other things - copper has the opportunity to wreak havoc on a playground that is your body. Copper, a necessary trace mineral, vanishes into the tissues of the body where it is not supposed to be. In fact, one of the first places that copper accumulates is the liver. Not only does this impact affect ceruloplasmin production, but if it continues to build up in the liver, this affects the functioning of bile flow. Thin, flowing bile is necessary to remove excess copper from the body. It is also responible for removing toxins, pathogens, and waste products as well. What you now have is a completely stopped up system which results in increased copper in the tissue, pathogens and toxins such as heavy metals building up in the gut and body, which may result in gut dysbiosis, symptoms such as constipation or irregular bowl movements, acne or skin infections, and even an increased risk of a parasite infection. This is because all of these “waste” products need to be removed, not recirculated.
This whole fiasco causes iron to accumulate in the tissue, ultimately causing iron dysregulation. Iron dysregulation is the number one reason for what your doctor calls iron-deficiency anemia. In your prescriber’s case, they will recommend tkaing an iron supplement. This only makes the dysregualtion worse. Iron is already in this case, not being used properly and building up in the tissue. In the same way that metals rust when stagnant, iron rusts in the body, tissues, glands, and organs. You can see where this would not only cause problems, but disease. This will show up as low iron in the blood, when in reality, you have more iron than you need, but the iron recycling program in the body has been shut down as a safety measure. This is why I NEVER recommend taking an iron supplement.
The goal in my practice when I see clients come to me with iron dysregulation, symptoms of copper toxicity, or adrenal fatigue and dysegulation, is to address the issues upstream. We have to grease the wheels up top first, before we see a result in iron and copper storage. This is a delicate cycle. Unfortunately, unlike traditional medicine that throws one quick pill at you and never solves the problem, addressing these issues is a process. But when committed to lifestyle, diet, and protocol recommendations, you will feel the energy and life come back to you without the side effects or the tease of short-term relief. This is why we address the root cause of your symptoms and test results. When you spend the time doing so, you will find that most symptoms disappear without addressing them. Taking care of the upstream issues first that most doctors won’t address or even see, naturally takes care of the problems downstream.
This is why I have every client of mine take an HTMA test no matter what program fits them. Gut dysbiosis, hormones imbalance, energy or fatigue issues - minerals and metals always have a root cause role. You would be surprised how quickly the issue can resolve when you address the building blocks of your body.
