Suspected Copper Deficiency. Thoughts And Ideas

[Douglas Ek]

Hi!

I suspect I might have a copper deficiency. Been trying to find a blood test for it here in Sweden but haven't found one yet. I've ordered a blood test to measure zinc, haemoglobin and some other health values to see if anything seems wrong. Anyway reason why I think I might have a copper deficiency is because I have these symptoms:

Lethargy & Fatigue
Brain fog
Joint aches and poping
Low libido or drive (can get hard limited sensitivity)
Anxiety
Restless leg syndrome

I've tried everything else and it has gotten better and worse from time to time. I first suspected low testosterone or estrogen but checked that and it's alright. Haven't done that in awhile but I have morning erections every morning lasting for like 1 hour and very easy to build muscle so doesn't seem right but I have ordered a testosterone, DHEA, Cortisol test aswell.
My symptoms are mostly in the evening around 18-22 is when I feel the most crap. The past 2 years I've been trying different supplements and something that seems to make it worse is Zinc. I'm already a pretty big meat eater but read that high dosage zinc could help with low testosterone and hormones. I think it did help in the start but now it just makes me tired and headache feeling. I know Zinc in high dosages antagonises copper and also the other way around. I've been supplementing from everything between 15mg zinc to 100mg zing per day the last 1-2 years. Feels kinda obvious i ****88 my copper levels up probably.
Anyone else who had low copper and can relate to my symptoms and clearify or confirm that this might be the case?

I've stopped all zinc supplements at the moment and also I've ordered 2mg copper bisglycinate from Thorne and will start taking 2mg in the morning and 2 in the evening for a little while and see how that makes me feel. Is this a good idea?

Also all my symptoms seem identical to low estrogen in men. Anyone know if there's any link between estrogen and copper deficiency?
I know that estrogen increases copper retention from what I've read but could copper increase estrogen? Also if I as a male have had low testosterone that in turn would cause low estrogen which would lead to lowered copper retention. Even later on if i fixed my testosterone levels the copper deficiency might still be there. Then supplementing with zinc on top of that antagonising even further. Seem logical

I know most of my symptoms can come from so many other things but I've tried everything else except copper.

Any other way i can find out if im copper deficient?
appreciate all answers and stories
thanks!

 

[Mito]

https://chrismasterjohnphd.com/2017/02/03/manage-copper-status/

 

[Peatful]

Welcome.

You simply sound hypothyroid to me.
Spend a lot of time using the RPF search engine, or even better, spend time reading at RayPeat.com

 

[paymanz]

Also check your diet to see if you get enough of manganese or not.

Keep your copper intake around 1-2 mg a day ,or supplement it as you mentioned,meanwhile keep zinc intake under 20 mg a day. In long term probably you balance these minerals.

 

[Sinjin]

Yeah, I tanked my copper with zinc. Lethargy and libido were the main ones out of the list you’ve mentioned.

I was gradually getting more and more lethargic, to the point I just wanted to lay down and nap during the day, before I realised what was going on.

If you supplement medium-high dose copper for a few days and experience a reduction in symptoms then you’ve probably found the cause. This wasn’t something that took weeks or months to notice for me, the relief was very quick.

 

[Douglas Ek]

ty for help everyone pretty positive its the zinc that messed up my copper

 

[Douglas Ek]

Yeah, I tanked my copper with zinc. Lethargy and libido were the main ones out of the list you’ve mentioned.

I was gradually getting more and more lethargic, to the point I just wanted to lay down and nap during the day, before I realised what was going on.

If you supplement medium-high dose copper for a few days and experience a reduction in symptoms then you’ve probably found the cause. This wasn’t something that took weeks or months to notice for me, the relief was very quick.

Hi Sinjin!

So I've taken a copper supplement now the past 3-4 days and noticed some improvements. Mainly joint aches and popping has gone away and from time to time my energy seems better. How long did it take for you to really notice a difference? And what do you consider a medium-high dose of copper? Also did you have any of the other symptoms i described or was it only fatigue and low libido? I have 2 supplements 2mg copper citrate and gluconate and one supplement with 2mg of copper glycinate. I've heard that the glycinate should have superior absorption but when I take 4mg of it it just takes 10-20 minutes and i feel like a want to vomit. Then it subsides and I feel fine again. Is this normal? feels like my stomach doesnt like it. Also I've completely stopped all zinc supplements. Did you do this or did you keep on taking zinc?

Kind regards,
Douglas Ek

 

[ddjd]

Check out mito synergy copper

 

[Douglas Ek]

Check out mito synergy copper

Why would this mito synergy be better? Freakin expensive? I can already tell that using the copper bisglycinate i bought is working as all my symptoms is almost gone now. Its ****** crazy and feels unreal because for once in a long time im starting to feel really good!

 

[ddjd]

Why would this mito synergy be better? Freakin expensive? I can already tell that using the copper bisglycinate i bought is working as all my symptoms is almost gone now. Its ****** crazy and feels unreal because for once in a long time im starting to feel really good!

its just cortisol raising trust me

 

[Douglas Ek]

its just cortisol raising trust me

So ur saying i have low cortisol or why would cortisol remove my symptoms specially joint aches which is estrogen related? Zinc lowers estrogen and everytime i take zinc my joints feel a lot worse? Never heard that cortisol also increases morning wood and libido?

 

[prider90]

I have exactly your symptoms. Thyroid checked and is good. Bloodwork showed high cortisol but I didn't test for cooper.

 

[Douglas Ek]

I have exactly your symptoms. Thyroid checked and is good. Bloodwork showed high cortisol but I didn't test for cooper.

Yeah keep me updated how your doing. I feel like zinc might have gotten me anemic. Im doing tests this week to check my zinc, copper, iron etc

 

[prider90]

Thing is I have most of the symptoms in the early part of the day witch I think correlates with high morning cortisol. I started taking high doses of B vitamins but gave me more anxiety and extreme tingling on hands. Actually got me a bit paranoid and scared.
I started taking 0.25 klonopin before bed and I feel a bit better. Did not helped me with RLS & frequent yawning. Maybe I should try some cyproheptadine.
ps: I also have a mild neutropenia.

 

[Douglas Ek]

Thing is I have most of the symptoms in the early part of the day witch I think correlates with high morning cortisol. I started taking high doses of B vitamins but gave me more anxiety and extreme tingling on hands. Actually got me a bit paranoid and scared.
I started taking 0.25 klonopin before bed and I feel a bit better. Did not helped me with RLS & frequent yawning. Maybe I should try some cyproheptadine.
ps: I also have a mild neutropenia.

There could be many reasons why you feel they way you do just as me. Google symptoms of low estrogen in men and its exactly the symptoms i described. This could be caused either by low testosterone which in turn cause low estrogen. Or it could be what i believe i did to myself high zinc aromatise inhibiting. Copper depletion causing low estrogen. Its all correlated. Also it could be hypothyroidism for many reasons, it could be high or low cortisol. And also it could be anemia. They all have same symptoms and go hand in hand. Go and test your estrogen, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, zinc, iron, copper levels. You could have high cortisol because of something else. Otherwise if you have high cortisol supplement with phosphatidylserine and vitamin C has shown to relieve. But i would just test your hormones and minerals to be sure

Ofc klonopin helps. Its a drug

 

[prider90]

yep. next step is estrogen, test,dhea and others. I'm tired of blaming anxiety for all the symptoms I have. I have days when I feel normal again and I have days when I'm scared to leave the house cuz of the brainfog and dizzines. I had no past issues of anxiety or any other psychiatric problem. It's very strange.
Sometimes I got a sudden feeling off illness followed by yawning and restless legs. Everytime I had that I checked my pulse and blood pressure and seemed to be in range.
Checked CRP protein and is in normal range. So no inflammatory process. I also have a feverish feeling most of the time, blamed the thyroid but the results came back normal..

 

[Douglas Ek]

yep. next step is estrogen, test,dhea and others. I'm tired of blaming anxiety for all the symptoms I have. I have days when I feel normal again and I have days when I'm scared to leave the house cuz of the brainfog and dizzines. I had no past issues of anxiety or any other psychiatric problem. It's very strange.
Sometimes I got a sudden feeling off illness followed by yawning and restless legs. Everytime I had that I checked my pulse and blood pressure and seemed to be in range.
Checked CRP protein and is in normal range. So no inflammatory process. I also have a feverish feeling most of the time, blamed the thyroid but the results came back normal..

Yes far to many doctors blame on anxiety so they can just move along and get you on the pill. Its bs! If you don't have a reason to feel bad and you also have moments during the day you feel good its 100% some underlying cause that just needs to be diagnosed. Taking drugs is not an optiom coz it will just mask the symptoms and may make things worse in the end. Get your zinc and copper checked. Its a very important balance between these minerals. I can really tell what they are doing. Zinc makes me calm and feel good. To much and i get lethargic, stiff joints and low libido. And copper gives me energy and makes me feel good. To much and i have hard to sleep, sweating and high pulse. Just the past days when i started supplementing 2-4 mg copper in morgnin and then 15mg zinc in evening i started to feel a lot more like my normal self again. Its worth for you to look into if you cant find anything else.

 

[prider90]

I'm so tired of everything. Going through doctors and no answers. It's frustrating. I'm starting to have health anxiety because of this.
Took a MRI scan of my cervical and brain. No problems found.
Calcium & Magnesium levels are in check.
My psychiatrist insisted with anxiety. Gave me Lexapro but after the first dose I felt like I was dying. Never touching that again.
It's like I'm having anxiety attacks but without raised pulse and trouble breathing. My last bet is the hormones. If they come normal.....I will have nothing else to do.

 

[Douglas Ek]

I'm so tired of everything. Going through doctors and no answers. It's frustrating. I'm starting to have health anxiety because of this.
Took a MRI scan of my cervical and brain. No problems found.
Calcium & Magnesium levels are in check.
My psychiatrist insisted with anxiety. Gave me Lexapro but after the first dose I felt like I was dying. Never touching that again.
It's like I'm having anxiety attacks but without raised pulse and trouble breathing. My last bet is the hormones. If they come normal.....I will have nothing else to do.

I was on ssri awhile back. You feel ***t the first 2-4 weeks. I felt more anxiety and night sweats trouble sleeping etc. But after 1 month they actually worked and after 3 months i felt great even got more energy and libido from it. I did that for a couple of months but decided to stop because i dont wanna be on a drug forever. And after awhile it sorta gone back to where i was before the ssri but since then until now I've gotten a lot better. Specially my anxiety. I really don't have anxiety anymore. its mostly fatigue from day to day. some days i feel great.

Anyway before considering medications to help you out or hormone therapy or what ever you should explore all possibilities.
I would recommend you to do a test of your hormones. The ones you wanna look at is Testosterone, Estrogen, DHEA, Cortisol, Thyroid, LH. And also find out if your anemic or not and test your zinc and ceruloplasmin (Copper levels). If all these seem to be in a good range for your age then I don't know what. I can bet my money that something will come up fishy.

 

[InChristAlone]

In adrenal groups zinc is used to lower cortisol.