Jonathan Wilhoite Blog: Copper Cups May Not Be The Holy Grail After All

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Copper Cups May Not Be The Holy Grail After All

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People are taken in by a rising health fad by claiming that you can get your additional copper requirement by using copper cups and drinking your way to better health.

Copper is an essential trace mineral that is found mostly in the heart, liver, brain, kidneys and skeletal muscles and aids in the production of collagen, plays a key role in energy production and increases iron absorption in the body.

Several health claims from using copper cups is that it has anti-microbial properties and helps boost brain functions, aids in weight loss, slows down aging, fights cancer and reduces inflammation.

In a recent statement by Dr, Michael Lynch, medical director for the Pittsburg Poison Center and an assistant professor at the department of emergency medicine with the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine, he said that drinking out of a copper mug is neither healthy or otherwise.

This was supported by registered dietitian Lauren Blake from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center who said “I don’t think it is harmful, but it is not a magic bullet.”

There was a study that was released years back of bacteria killing properties of copper, however, no studies have yet emerged that officially states that copper cups can help reduce inflammation, improve brain function, slows aging, fights cancer or aids in weight loss.

Blake added that the study did not specify how much bacteria was eliminated after it was stored in a copper vessel, but surely pointed out that it did not kill all of the bacteria in the water.

The nutritional value of copper is on its ability to aid in iron absorption, but scientists are pointing out that the body has enough sources of copper from foods and there’s no need to add more amounts in the body, if indeed, the copper cop theory is true.

May food items available commercially available are rich in copper trace minerals like mushrooms, legumes, almonds, beef liver, whole grains and oysters, among a score of other food items . Even just a few teaspoons of nuts would already provide you with the required amount of copper needed by the body.

Unless there is a need to supplement on copper due to a medical condition, it is not advisable to self-supplement since copper is a heavy metal and ingesting too much could cause nausea, vomiting, liver and neurological problems.

Image Credit: Drinking from a copper cup: Good for health or the latest health fad? – NBC News

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from NUTRITION CLUB CANADA http://nutritionclub.ca/drinking-from-a-copper-cup/amp/