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Copper Continued
Because of the potential for side effects and interactions with medications, dietary supplements should be taken only under the supervision of a knowledgeable healthcare provider.
Excessive copper intake can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, headache, dizziness, weakness, diarrhea, and a metallic taste in the mouth. Copper toxicity is rare but can cause heart problems, jaundice, coma, and even death.
Copper overload may occur from using copper cookware and from water supplied by copper pipes on a regular basis. Copper can leach out of pipes into water, especially hot water, if it sits in copper pipes for an extended period of time. It is best to always cook with cold water. Flushing the system by running cold water for 2 to 3 minutes is an effective way to reduce copper. Also, it is best to avoid unlined copper cookware since copper can leach into acidic foods such as vinegar, tomato, or citrus. If you have blue-green stains around your faucet or sink, or if you detect a metallic taste to your water, you may want to have your water tested by a certified laboratory.
Children and individuals with Wilson's disease, a hereditary syndrome that results in an accumulation of copper in the brain, liver, kidneys, and eyes, should not take copper supplements. Because high intakes of zinc and iron can impair absorption of copper, zinc has been used to decrease copper in people suffering from of Wilson's disease.
Possible Interactions:
If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use copper supplements without first talking to your healthcare provider.
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Precautions
Birth control medications and estrogen replacement for post-menopausal women can increase blood levels of copper. Therefore, copper supplements are not appropriate and may be cause for concern in individuals taking either of these medications.
Copper binds to NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and naproxen) and appears to enhance their anti-inflammatory activity.
Penicillamine (a medication used to treat Wilson's disease and rheumatoid arthritis) reduces copper levels that may be the intended use, as in the case of Wilson's disease.
Test tube studies suggest that allopurinol, a medication used to treat gout, may reduce copper levels.
Animal studies show that cimetidine, a medication used to treat ulcers and gastric esophageal reflux disease (when acid from the stomach enters the esophagus and causes heartburn and indigestion), may elevate copper levels in the body leading to damage of the liver and other organs.
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