Copper Toxicity

"Many of the most prevalent metabolic dysfunctions of our time
are related in some way to a copper imbalance." ~ Dr. Paul Eck

• Copper Toxicity is a build up of stored bio-unavailable copper in the body. The liver is the primary storage location. The brain, secondary.
• Birth control pills, copper IUDs, vegetarian diets, copper piping, and estrogen are just some of the contributing factors that have made copper toxicity a growing epidemic.
• Though copper is an essential mineral, not all copper is ‘safe’. Copper sulfate used on crops for example is a known toxin. "Excess copper is poisonous to all forms of life, and copper overloading is responsible for several human pathologic processes"[66].  “Copper becomes toxic when it accumulates in the body's tissues in excessive amounts” (Pfeiffer, 1975; 1987)
• Copper offers many health benefits at a 'normal' level, however what is rarely mentioned is that the benefits reverse with excess copper.  Energy turns to fatigue. Cognitive clarity turns to brain fog.  Fungal control turns to candida.  Positive emotions turn to depression and apathy.   Other common symptoms include racing mind, insomnia, thyroid hypo-function, burn-out, anxiety and panic attacks, even Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and cancer can all also be linked to copper toxicity.
• The higher the degree of copper accumulation, the higher the degree of bioavailable deficiency. Most articles promoting copper deficiency fail to make this connection, as most copper deficiency in the West is caused by excess.
• Since excess copper is tightly stored in tissue, blood testing to determine copper status can be very misleading. This is a primary reason why copper toxicity remains poorly recognized and so often mis-treated.
• As detox often brings to the surface some of the worst symptoms, detoxing excess copper should be done slowly and gently.  For example, the mobilization of copper into the bloodstream after burnout increases adrenalin on top of an already increased adrenalin level stimulated by the body’s attempt to correct burnout-induced hypoglycemia.  Since adrenalin is an anxiety and panic hormone, these psychological reactions need to be understood.
• Common copper detox approaches typically miss the fact that many symptoms/reactions are not necessarily solely caused by copper but by the cascade of changes excess copper causes to the broader mineral profile. These other mineral imbalances at the cellular (not blood) level need to be understood and also addressed as part of any complete healing approach.  
• Reliance on blood levels, dismissal of HTMA, articles that speak only of copper deficiency or the benefits of copper at a healthy level, standard nutritional training that ignores the inter-relationships of minerals, the disconnect between fields of nutrition and psychology, and even outright denial of copper toxicity and the blocking of information by some - these factors all have suppressed public awareness of copper toxicity and prevent those affected from getting real answers to their health challenges.
• Copper toxicity is one of the most widespread yet misunderstood epidemics of our time, and is a major factor in many of today's most prevalent conditions. It should therefore be a key route of investigation for any of the above mentioned symptoms.