Chelating, low Copper, comprimised immune function

[Guest guest]

Copper and Immune Function

It has been well documented that adequate copper status is

essential

for normal functioning of the immune system in laboratory and domestic animals.47

For instance, not only has it been shown that the functioning of

macrophages were decreased in severely copper deficient rats, but even

marginally copper-deficient rats had impaired immune functioning.48

Interestingly, immune function was significantly impaired at dietary copper

levels that didn't seem to decrease tissue copper or the activity of red

blood

cell Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD).49 However, neutrophil SOD-activity and

neutrophil function was significantly diminished, suggesting that immune

function may be more sensitive to diets low in copper than standard measures of

copper status. It was also found that immune impairment could be detected as

soon as one week after the initiation of a diet low or marginal in copper, and

the addition of adequate copper reversed the immune suppression within one week

of supplementation. The authors concluded that, "...the adverse effects of

inadequate copper intake on neutrophil activity occur rapidly and are readily

reversed by dietary copper repletion." Additionally, it has been demonstrated

that copper deficiency reversibly impairs DNA synthesis in activated T-cells by

limiting interleukin 2 activity up to 50%, and this was reversible with copper

supplementation.50 Because of this sensitivity to copper status at levels of

intake that have little effect on other indicators of copper status, immune

system cells have been suggested to be a readily accessible and copper-status

sensitive population of cells for the assessment of copper status.51 http://www.oralchelation.com/technical/copper1.htmSo, I've spent the day researching because I am

a little concerned over my son's very low copper level and my marginally low level. (Still awaiting KPU results).

Of course, for both of us our zinc was at the lower end of the range as

well. This is interesting because I've supplemented with 50 mg of zinc

for a few years, on and off, and am surprised that I would be low. It made me really think about all of the chelating we do and how we can take the good with the bad. (My son hasn't done any chelating, so his levels are of even greater concern).

My thought is to everyone, to be careful and have your serum levels check of minerals every so often. I was tempted to start the KPU protocol and not spend the time or money on any testing. Had we done this, mine and my son's copper levels would begin to plummet and I would

have had no idea that it was happening.

Although copper has received some bad press the last few years, it does have important functions and being deficient is just as bad.Take good care,