Copper / Trace Minerals Requirements / Benefits:

Pristine Water Co.'s Point of Entry filters with electronic ion and oxidation systems deliver calcium, magnesium, copper and other minerals needed by people and plants, while treating all your municipal or well water, hot and cold, indoors and out.

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION:
"Modern diets are marginally deficient in many elements, and therefore, the contribution of mineral water for a daily intake of lithium, magnesium, and particular other elements may make the difference between optimal and sub-optimal intake. Also, chemical forms of many of these elements in water are different from what is in food. In food, there may be some chelating agents that prevent immediate absorption of certain elements, so even if they are contained in very high amounts in food, their absorption comes down to perhaps a few percent."
--Dr. Masironi
World Health Organization

Neonatal enzootic ataxia (sway back, lamkruis) was recognized as a clinical entity in 1937 as a copper deficiency in pregnant sheep. Copper supplements prevented the syndrome which was characterized by demyelination of the cerebellum (Fig. 11-8) and spinal cord, cavitation or gelatinous lesions of the cerebral white matter, chromatolysis, nerve cell death and myelin aplasia (failure to form). These are all changes identical with human cerebral palsy.

Well-known people affected or dying of an obvious copper deficiency include Albert Einstein (ruptured cerebral aneurysms), Paavo Aerola (ruptured cerebral aneurysms), Conway Twitty (ruptured abdominal aorta aneurysm), George and Barbara Bush (thyroid disease, white hair). Four to six of every 100 Americans autopsied have died of a ruptured aneurysm; an additional 40 Percent have aneurysms that had not yet ruptured.

The average well-nourished adult human body contains between 80 and 120 mg of copper. Concentrations are higher in the brain, liver, heart and kidneys. Bone and muscle have lower percentages of copper, but contain 50 percent of the body total copper reserves because of their mass. It is of interest that the greatest concentration of copper is found in the newborn, and their daily requirement is 0.08 mg/kg; toddlers require 0.04 mg/kg and adults only 0.03 mg/ kg.

The average plasma copper for women ranges from 87 to 153 mg/dl and for men it ranges from 89 to 137 mg/dl; about 90 percent of the plasma copper is found in ceruloplasmin.

Copper functions as a co-factor and activator of numerous cuproenzymes that are involved in the development (deficiency of Cu in the pregnant female results in congenital defects of the heart, i.e.-Kawasaki Disease and brain - i.e.- cerebral palsy and hypoplasia of the cerebellum) and maintenance of the cardiovascular system (deficiency results in reduced lysyl oxidase activity causing a reduction in conversion of pro elastin to elastin causing a decrease in tinsel strength of arterial walls and ruptured aneurysms (Figs. 11-9, 1 1-10 and 1 1-11) and skeletal integrity (deficiency results in a specific type of arthritis of the young in the form of spurs in the bones growth plate); deficiency can result in myelin defects, anemia, and poor hair keratinization and loss of hair color. Neutropenia (reduced numbers of neutophillic WBC) and leukopenia (reduced total WBC) are the earliest indicators of copper deficiency in infants; infants whose diets are primarily cows milk frequently develop anemia; iron storage disease can result from chronic copper deficiency.

Menkes' Kinky Hair Syndrome is thought to be a sex-linked recessive defect of copper absorption. The affected infants exhibit retarded growth, defective keratin formation and loss of hair pigment, low body temperature, degeneration and fracture of aortic elastin (aneurysms), arthritis in the growth plate of long bones, and a progressive mental deterioration (brain tissue is totally free of the essential enzyme cytochrome c oxidase). Because of absorption problems of metallic copper, injections of copper are useful.

Serum and plasma copper increase 100 % in pregnant women and women using oral contraceptives. Serum copper levels are also elevated during acute infections, liver disease and pellegra (niacin deficiency).

Copper can help you lead a healthier life. Many people suffer from the discomfort of joint problems, connective tissue problems and bone problems, such as inflammation, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, rheumatism, osteoporosis, etc. One out of eight people has arthritis and almost all people over age 70 have some form of arthritis.1 Many people are deficient in trace minerals, including copper, because the food we eat is not as rich in nutrients due to the over-processing of our food sources. Health practitioners and scientists have studied the beneficial use of copper. Many believe that it has anti-inflammatory benefits for joint problems, connective tissue problems and bone problems, such as inflammation, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, rheumatism and osteoporosis. It can also have a positive effect on other health conditions--see references below. Copper can be absorbed into your body by direct contact with your skin - the ultimate "slow-release" approach to dealing with inflammation and other conditions. Copper bracelets are a natural home remedy that have been used for centuries to relieve the discomfort from joint and connective tissue problems. We currently know of no adverse effects.

Nutritional studies report the amount of trace minerals, including copper, that we get from our food sources has gradually decreased over the years.2 The National Research Council has established a tentative safe and adequate daily intake of copper for adults at 2-3 milligrams.3 Most people are not getting this much copper from their diets. Studies show a daily intake of less than 1 milligram is very common.4 "75% of the daily diets in the United States fail to contain the recommended dietary allowance of copper".5 Foods rich in copper include dried beans, nuts, liver, shellfish, and mushrooms.6

To obtain the amount of copper in one multivitamin/mineral pill from either the Pristine Water point-of-entry drinking water or pool water would require drinking over two gallons of the water.

Footnotes:

1 FDA Panel Approves new class of anti-arthritis drugs," NBC Nightly News, December 3, 1998.

2 Bob Smith, "Organic Foods vs. Supermarket Foods: Element Levels," Journal of Applied Nutrition, Vol. 45, No. 1, 1993: 36-39 and B. Levin, "Micronutrient Losses: Health Effects," Quarterly Review of Natural Medicine, Spring 1995: 57-58. (Nutrient deficiency linked to chronic diseases including coronary heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancers and osteoporosis.)

3 A.S. Gissen, "Copper: The Maligned Mineral," Vitamin Research Products Newsletter, April-July/August, 1994: 2. (Copper deficiency affects cardiovascular disease, free radicals, osteoporosis, immune functions, cancer, carcinogenesis, inflammation and arthritis.)

4 Gissen: 2. (Copper deficiency affects cardiovascular disease, free radicals, osteoporosis, immune functions, cancer, carcinogenesis, inflammation and arthritis.)

5 L.M. Klevay , Biol. Trace Element Res. 1983, 5: 245-255.

6 Gissen: 2 (Copper deficiency affects cardiovascular disease, free radicals, osteoporosis, immune functions, cancer, carcinogenesis, inflammation and arthritis.) and J.R.J. Sorenson, Agents and Actions, Vol.8 Supplement, 1981: 361