I already mentioned in a previous article that heavy metal poisoning can have a serious detrimental effect on both mental and physical health and how more and more research is highlighting this point.

Following up on my last article on the pros and cons that zinc may play in both the prevention and causation of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, I’d like to cover some important points regarding the role copper plays in these conditions. and the importance of achieving the appropriate therapeutic dose.

Several studies have shown that while copper is essential for brain development, too much copper in the bloodstream can block the body’s ability to get rid of the plaque-forming proteins that clog the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and very little can increase the risk of mental disorders. decline.

But again, these studies should be viewed with caution.

It may be that there are already pathological processes in the brain that make it difficult to eliminate copper and therefore it accumulates. This theory is very plausible since Alzheimer’s disease (like so many chronic diseases that are now so common as the population ages) is already believed to be multifactorial, that is, it consists of many individual processes that combine to create one process. long-term degenerative Or it may be that there are other dietary factors involved that led to the accumulation A study based on the findings of rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet (not their natural diet) and water that was laced with copper and therefore extrapolating the results to a more difficult human population. Also, while traces of copper are found in tap water (another reason to drink mineral water!), the amount of plaque formed by the rabbits was much rarer in those who drank the copper-only liquid.

Another study that was based on humans (mouses, rabbits, and gerbils for the switch!) showed that there was a direct correlation between higher blood copper levels and increased cognition, thinking, and memory. Patients with higher blood copper levels make fewer errors on memory tests, leading the researchers to note that higher dietary copper intake may be therapeutically relevant in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Due to the uncertainty about the role copper plays in both Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, I would recommend limiting the daily dose you consider to no more than 3mg per day.