Low Copper Levels

[Guest]

I got my copper and zinc serum test results back. My copper level was abnormally low at 74. Lab says 80-155 is normal. Zinc is at 65 and lab says 60-120 is normal.

 

What causes low copper levels? I think zinc lowers copper, but my zinc is still pretty low even though its normal to the lab.

 

Carolyn

[kim]

Carllyn,

 

Check the biochat notes, I think it's Dr. Usman that talks about activating a pathway, and needing more and more of something, even though you're supplementing. I think zinc will lower copper levels too.

 

Since you are taking chelating agents, isn't it common to lose minerals? Maybe that has something to do with it.

 

If I remember right, Claires son had the same thing happen. I think she was angry because she felt it was too long btwn testing, and it proved to be right, when the results came back the same way. This zinc/copper ratio seems to be pretty important. When I took the boys to the Alt. Ped Allergist he casually said "you can supplement with up to 50 mgs. of zinc per day." I was sitting there thinking, "not without running the risk of copper falling to low." I'm sure not trying to sound like an expert here, but what if someone never went back, and just gave their child 50 mgs of zinc for two years. I could be wrong, but I think it could be a problem.

 

Please let us know what your Dr. says about this. It would be a great question for biochat too.

 

I would be really curious to know, how much zinc you were supplementing with? What was your level when you started, and how long?

 

Kim

[Guest]

I'm supplementing with 60 mg of zinc including my multi-vitamin and mineral complex. I didn't have my serum zinc and copper levels tested before supplementing. I had spectra cell test done which didn't show low zinc. I tested to have pyroluria and zinc and b6 supplementing was suggested for that.

 

Carolyn

[kim]

Carolyn,

 

Just wondering if you have any new information on your lower zinc/copper status?

 

Maybe ask FJ?

 

kim

[Guest]

Kim,

 

I asked Claire about this and she said my zinc level is too low accordingly to Pfeiffer. The copper level is fine with Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer also likes minimal to no copper supplementation.

 

 

 

On biochat they also said my zinc level is way too low. They also said they don't supplement copper. I was asking about zinc being toxic and this is the reply I got. A certain dosage isn't toxic to everyone and it depends on how well you absorb the zinc. They really think you should be doing 20 mg of zinc above your weight. Zinc gets to be toxic overload when your taking 60 mg above your weight. Even then its not that its so toxic its that its not healthy. That's what was said on biochat and that's the guidelines they use for their patients.

 

Carolyn

[Guest]

Kim,

 

I asked FJ about this also. FJ supplements copper and manganese with zinc. The ratio of zinc to copper is 25 mg to 1 mg. The zinc to manganese ratio is 5 to 1.

 

Carolyn

[kim]

Carolyn,

 

I have read many times on the autism bds. about the body weight plus 20, however in my 8 yr.olds case, this would be approx. 100mgs. and that seems like an awful lot. I have started to rotate 50mgs one night and about 25 the next. When I started him on Bonnies vitamins he was getting only 5 mg of zinc compared to his old multi with 15 mgs. and no copper with bonnies. The white spots have definitley gotten worse (did you have any of those btw?) I'm also wondering if FJ or Claire recommended how often you should have these levels checked with blood serum. His last blood work showed 76 and that was when he was taking regular multi, so on Bonnies vits he probably would have dropped. Unfortunately, copper wasn't checked.

 

If your copper level is low at this point, is there a danger of it dropping too low with the increased zinc? I am assuming that your Dr. will have your levels checked. Do you intend to supplement the copper?

 

I also have to wonder why spectracell would not show zinc low. If it was ok at the cellular level, what changed, or is the test not reliable and you should look at the serum level? Sorry for all of the questions

 

Kim

[Guest]

Kim,

 

I think that sounds like a lot of zinc also. I also think that the recomendation for myself of 20 mg over my weight is a lot. A lot of these kids that this is recommended for though are also chelating or doing mb12 shots. My pyroluria was under control with 45 mg of zinc before I started mb12 injections and chelating.

 

Yes, I had the white spots and with starting zinc they mostly went away. I now have several. You should get these levels checked every 3 months.

 

Yes, zinc can cause copper levels to drop. For right now I'm leaving copper alone. I do have 2 mg of copper that's in my mineral complex that I'm taking while chelating. Yes, I'm going to have my levels checked in a couple months. I don't plan on supplementing copper until I hear back from my doctor.

 

I've also wondered why spectracell sometimes doesn't show low zinc. No one really seems to know for sure. Have you done the pyroluria test?

 

I did up my levels of zinc and I of course wouldn't recommend this high to anyone. I was at 60 mg and changed it to 90 mg. I was a bit afraid to take this much, but I could tell that I was becoming very low on zinc. The mb12 injections is said to deplete zinc and so is chelation. I noticed a difference after increasing zinc as I was having trouble concetrating. My mind has been wondering which I noticed a huge difference in this when I started zinc almost a year ago. I noticed today in class my mind wasn't wondering like it had been the last couple of weeks.

 

Carolyn

[kim]

Carolyn,

 

Isn't it amazing what you are paying attention to now, that you never would have thought about before? When you mentioned the feeling of being unable to concentrate, I thought about an article that I had copied to favorites a long time ago. http://www.drlwilson.com/Articles/copper_t...ty_syndrome.htm. Don't know when the feeling came in relationship to your testing with an "ok" level for copper, but the article may be interesting anyway.

 

Kim