If you increase your Zinc...be sure to also increase your copper in the right ratio. Very important to keep the Zinc/ Copper ratio in balance. Here is some info:
Zinc and copper work hand in hand in many of their beneficial tasks, which is why it is important to not only concern yourself with just the amount of zinc or copper you consume. You also want to ensure you retain a good copper to zinc ratio to avoid the potential health risks discussed. If you are concerned, you can ask your doctor to perform a blood test to assess your serum copper and serum zinc levels. One way to do this is to ensure you consume adequate amounts of both minerals, primarily through diet. If you supplement with one, then you want to ensure you supplement with the other, unless you already have an imbalanced ratio.
Getting Your Recommended Zinc and Copper
Foods Sources
As with most nutrients, the best place to start to get your zinc and copper is through food sources. The best food sources of zinc, from highest to lowest, include:
– Oysters
– Organic, grass-fed beef
– Sesame seeds
– Pumpkin seeds
– Adzuki beans
– Wild rice
– Peanuts
– Pine nuts
– Cashew nuts
– Navy beans
– White beans
– Sunflower seeds
– Black beans
– Teff
– Split peas
– Lentils
The best food sources of copper, also from highest to lowest, include:
– Liver
– Sesame seeds
– Oysters
– Cocoa powder
– Soybeans
– Cashew nuts
– Lentils
– Sunflower seeds
– Brazil nuts
– Adzuki beans
– Kidney beans
– White beans
– Hazelnuts
– Mung beans
– Buckwheat
– Pine nuts
As you can see from the list, many foods have both zinc and copper, making it easy to maintain your ratio. Some of the foods with the best copper to zinc ratio include oysters, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, and sunflower seeds. Foods in the nuts, seeds, and legume families often are rich sources of both zinc and copper, and they also have many other benefits. For example, Brazil nuts, known for their high selenium content, also are rich in other minerals, including zinc and copper. The average concentration of zinc in 100 grams of Brazil nuts is 4.7 mg, and the same serving has an average 2.0 mg of copper. Granted, an average serving is more often closer to one ounce or 6 nuts, which has 1.15 mg of zinc and 0.494 mg of copper. In addition to these nutrients, you also get healthy fat, protein, fiber, phytonutrients, selenium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. These work synergistically to further promote optimal health.
Although several common foods contain copper, those following the typical “SAD” diet might still risk deficiency. The number of people presenting with copper deficiency is increasing, which might be due to a reduction in copper intake. It might also be from an increase in zinc consumption, which causes an imbalance in the ratio that might present as copper deficiency.
What You Need to Know About Supplementing
Zinc has a reputation for being healthy, including supporting the immune system and acting as an antioxidant. This has led to many people supplementing with high doses of zinc. Zinc is also found in many cough drops and other cold remedies. Because of the potential toxicity of copper, many people stay away from supplemental doses of it. Where does this leave you? With a risk of an out of balance zinc to copper ratio, which as discussed above can cause problems. So, what do you do?
For one, do not supplement with high levels of just one of these minerals, such as zinc, without knowing your serum levels and/or ratio, which can be done with various lab tests. The most common is a blood draw for serum zinc and copper levels, which most doctors can perform. You might have to calculate your own copper to zinc ratio using the results for your serum zinc and copper levels. You need to make sure that both are in the same units, which is generally ug/dL. You might receive results with the units as umol/L, which requires you to divide the zinc by 0.153 and the copper levels by 0.157. If you have units such as L or mg, then you will have to perform metric conversions, which is usually multiply or dividing by a factor of 10. For example, to get from g/L to ug/dL, you would multiply by 100,000. You can also use an online conversion tool. Once they are in the same units, you simply divide the copper level by the zinc level. Some specialty labs will perform this for you.
In those with high copper levels, supplementing with just zinc might be fine. In one study, supplementing with 10 mg of zinc gluconate helped to improve the copper to zinc ratio, which in turn helped to normalize oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers in hemodialysis patients.
It seems self-evident that if your zinc/copper ratio is off balance, supplementing with one will help. However, work with a healthcare practitioner so you will not end up altering the balance the other way. Often, using a supplement with both zinc and copper ensures you retain a good ratio.
High levels of either mineral also come with other risks. Taking excessive amounts of zinc in supplemental form can lead to side effects, including vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Using nasal sprays might also disrupt your sense of smell. The tolerable upper intake level (TUL) for zinc is 40 mg for adult women and men. Excessive copper intake through supplementation also comes with its risks, including altering the copper to zinc ratio and toxicity. The TUL for copper is 10,000 ug/day for adults. You will want to check for the TUL for other age groups, as well as pregnant and lactating women.
In some cases, you might need high doses, such as in cases of malabsorption. However, you do not want to undertake this alone. As always, discuss supplementing with your doctor or other healthcare professional. They will work with you to determine a level of zinc and/or copper supplementation that ensures you have adequate amounts of both to retain the right ratio based on your situation and health concerns.
It is important you consider all of your sources of both zinc and copper beyond food and supplements when determining if you are at risk of an imbalance. For example, a patient using excessive amounts of denture adhesive that contained zinc presented with severe copper deficiency symptoms. Additionally, copper might leech from any pots and pans, and you might also find it in your drinking water. If you have well water and are concerned about your drinking water, you can contact your state certification officer to perform a test for free. Those not on a well, you can purchase testing kits from a variety of places that are simple to use and do not cost a lot of money.
The copper and zinc relationship is just another example of the delicate balance that the essential minerals—and micronutrients in general—play with one another for our maximal health. Recognizing the ways in which nutrients interact with others will help you formulate a better plan to maintain
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