A Secret of Aging - Copper

Evidence has just emerged that the mineral copper may play an important role in the aging process, medical scientists say. Drs. Saari and Dahlen have found that a low copper diet appears to cause an age-related decline in blood proteins, including hemoglobin, an essential iron-carrying one.

Saari & Dahlen's theory fits in with what we know about the often deleterious effect of oxygen radicals in the aging process, influencing the appearance of age-related diseases. One of the body's own protective substances against these radicals is called SOD*, and copper is its main ingredient. Thus a deficiency of copper would diminish SOD, and lay the body open to the slowly accumulating destruction of body tissues, which is what aging really is.

DETAILS: It is not advisable to take copper "straight," as in pills, as it can be harmful in significant amounts. Rather, it is preferable to eat foods like oysters, crabs, nuts, whole grains, soybeans, peas and lentils that are good sources or copper.

*SOD, Super-oxide Dismutase, was discovered in l969 by McCord & Fridovich at Duke U. Medical School, Durham, N.C. Joe (Dr.) McCord is now Head of the Division of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the Webb-Waring Inst. of Colorado Health Sciences, Denver.

Their discovery led to the explosion of research findings of the deleterious effects of excess oxygen radicals on our bodies, often linked to cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's, arthritis, allergies, and more. More directly, a deficiency of copper has been shown to be a factor in the causation of some heart diseases.

A COMPLETE EXPLANATION OF OXYGEN RADICALS INCLUDING THE PART THEY PLAY IN ALLERGIES AND OTHER AILMENTS,

A Secret of Aging - Copper Bibliography

Agricultural Research, August, l999. Drs. Jack T. Saari, a physiologist and Gwen Dahlen, a chemist the Human Nutrition Requirements, Food Composition, and Intake program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's research program