Symptoms of Too Much Copper in the Body

Have you ever had any laboratory test related to copper toxicity in the body? This question might amaze you but it has so much to do with your health. Many people experience a number of health problems due to too much copper in their body. Not just excess but copper deficiency could also lead to some significant health problems. Since it is not easy to identify the presence of copper excess so we have prepared a list of symptoms of too much copper in the body.

Copper is an essential element for our body as it plays a crucial role in metabolic activities. Some of the copper benefits for the body include for the growth of bones as well as the proper working of the nervous system. And some people say that they take a proper check of copper intake through various means. But it is not necessary that excess copper in the body gets accumulated because of copper in a diet. Even the acidic water can take copper from water pipes and get entered into our body. It is so dangerous that even the excess copper can lead to disease as severe as Wilson’s disease. Read below to know about copper toxicity symptoms in the body.

Sources of Excess Copper

  • Copper Water Pipes
  • Copper IUD’s
  • Oral Contraceptives Due Presence of Estrogen in them

Symptoms of Excess Copper

  • Thyroid Problem – Due to excess copper in the body, it gets build up in the Thyroid gland which can lead to various thyroid problems. This is especially seen in pregnant women. During pregnancy, the copper intake of women increases, hence doctors prescribe copper supplement or multivitamin during this period. But this can increase the toxic level in a woman’s body and lead to a number of health problems including Thyroid problem.
  • Supersensitivity and Psychiatric Problems – Too much copper in the body can cause psychiatric problems in the body. Studies have found that those who suffer from problems such as hyperactivity, high anxiety, and depression. Since copper is involved in regulating the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the body. In the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine, and when the there is an excess copper which would lead to anxiety and panic situation. Hence, if someone is experiencing psychiatric problems then it could be one of the symptoms of too much copper in the body. Also, it could be the reason behind supersensitivity in the body.
  • Chronic Fatigue – Among all the symptoms of too much copper in the body, chronic fatigue is an easily noticeable sign. Due to the excess copper in the body, the concentration of Zinc decreases. Since Zinc is essential for the working of enzymes at the metabolic level so the decrease in the concentration of Zinc results in chronic fatigue and weakness.
  • Arthritis and Calcium Spur – Rheumatoid arthritis and other problems of inflamed joints have been associated with copper toxicity. It can be considered as one of the symptoms of too much copper in the body which must be treated on time to avoid it from reaching a severe stage.
  • Dryness of Skin – Copper excess in the body can be related to many skin problems including dryness of skin. All this mainly occurs because of slow oxidation which results from Thyroid imbalance in the body. Apart from dryness, other skin problems such as acne, blemishes, stretch marks etc results due to too much copper in the body. Copper is needed for the production of melanin pigment which gives skin its color. If there is copper imbalance then one can relate notice it due to skin problems.
  • Insomnia  – Many people complain about the difficulty they face while sleeping. Even after taking every possible measure, people could not sleep well. One thing which could lead to insomnia is excess copper in the body. Although copper is required in the body in a trace amount, it is important to ensure its excretion from the body. This is so because it could lead to sleep problems.

Other Symptoms

Apart from the about mentioned symptoms for too much copper in the body, there could be other symptoms which could go unnoticed. Here below we have enlisted all such symptoms which one can relate to copper toxicity in the body.

  • Low Blood Pressure
  • Headaches or Migraines
  • Muscle Ache
  • Yeast Infections
  • PMS
  • Constipation
  • Heart Palpitation

So, these were some of the symptoms of too much copper in the body. Every person should consult a doctor if he notices any of the above-mentioned symptoms. Copper toxicity is not as easy to detect as other problems. Even a blood test is not sufficient to detect it. This is so because of the deposit of copper in the tissues. Hence, its imbalance cannot be easily detected. In order to counter this problem, hair analysis should be done which could easily tell the excess amount of copper in the body. On knowing about this problem, sufficient measures need to be taken to cure it.