Copper is a heavy metal and essential mineral needed by the body for your immune system to form red blood cells, and it supports the function of your nervous system (1). In our diet we can get it from organ meats, like liver, and shellfish. It’s also available in some vegetables, like potatoes, peas, and beans. We include it in Future Proof because it’s needed for the on-going function of our immune system to be ready to fight both new and familiar threats.

People only need trace amounts of copper in their body, but levels found in our diet have been decreasing since the 1930s (2). We have included copper in our supplement for its function in activating your immune system and also for its recent interest as a therapeutic agent in possible treatment for a number of degenerative neurological disorders, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Activates a targeted immune response

Our immune system is complex and has many different tools that work together to fight off invaders that might make us sick. One of these tools is the T cell. T cells are used to help your immune system fight off specific threats. Once a T cell recognizes a threat, it will begin to quickly reproduce to deal with unwelcome invaders in our body. Because T cells are activated by specific antigens, it’s important to have a lot of diversity of T cell in our immune system. Copper is essential for the T cell response in our immune system, so it plays an important role in the on-going support of our immune system (3).

Copper as a therapeutic agent for neurological conditions

Because copper plays a role in so many biological processes, new research is happening to study copper’s effectiveness as a therapeutic agent for a variety of neurological conditions. In Alzheimer’s disease, some studies have found that the brain may be storing copper abnormally (4). With Parkinson’s disease, evidence in studies suggests copper in the body is not binding with cells the way it should in people without the disease (5). Copper that has been binded with specific ions (forming what’s called a chelate), may be able to offer therapeutic benefits for copper imbalances in the body, however further study is needed to find possible benefits for humans.

110 percent of your daily dose

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of copper for adults is 900 micrograms. In Future Proof, we include 1 milligram, which is 110 percent of your daily dose.

Too much copper can be toxic. It can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, or vomiting. In extremely high doses for long periods of time, it can result in liver damage.

Disclaimer: It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before you take any type of supplement. And if you experience any negative side effects when you are taking one, contact a healthcare expert immediately.

References

1. The many “faces” of copper in medicine and treatment - Retrieved from National Center for Biotechnology Information
2. Is the Western diet adequate in copper? - Retrieved from Science Direct
3. The many “faces” of copper in medicine and treatment - Retrieved from National Center for Biotechnology Information
4. Current Biomedical Use of Copper Chelation Therapy - Retrieved from National Center for Biotechnology Information
5. Current Biomedical Use of Copper Chelation Therapy - Retrieved from National Center for Biotechnology Information