Copper and Post Natal Depression

Here is something to think about. I heard this from a Kinesilogist as well and here is an article I found on the internet about how Copper levels can affect women who have just given birth.
It is worth looking at which multivitamin you are taking as this could be contributing to excess copper in your system. If you visit a Naturopath you can also have hair samples taken to see if you carry an excess in your body.

Here is the article for you to read.

Copper supplement and element information by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
Copper is a mineral crucial for health maintenance. Copper is an essential nutrient, excesses or deficiencies of which cause impaired cellular functions and eventually cell death. The metabolic fates of copper and iron are intimately related. Systemic copper deficiency generates cellular iron deficiency, which in humans results in diminished work capacity, reduced intellectual capacity, diminished growth, alterations in bone mineralization, and diminished immune response. Copper is required for the function of over 30 proteins, including superoxide dismutase, ceruloplasmin, lysyl oxidase, cytochrome c oxidase, tyrosinase and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase. However, copper excess can also be harmful. It is suggested not to exceed 2 mg of copper intake a day.


Copper and postpartum depression
Women with a history of postpartum depression tend to have unusually high levels of copper in their blood. The body's regulation of copper levels may be involved. Blood copper levels are significantly higher among women with a history of postpartum depression compared with non-depressed women and those who'd suffered depression unrelated to childbirth. Some women may have a problem in the body's built-in system for clearing excess copper.
During pregnancy, a woman's copper levels normally go up, more than doubling, before normalizing after childbirth. In women who develop postpartum depression, copper levels do not normalize for some reason -- most likely because of a genetically determined flaw in the protein that regulates copper levels. Persistently high copper levels might contribute to postpartum depression because of the metal's role in brain chemistry. Excess copper in the brain, can alter the balance of dopamine and norepinephrine, two mood-regulating chemicals.

Copper in food
Copper is normally consumed in animal organs like liver, and in shellfish, nuts, legumes, some fruits, potatoes and chocolate. Drinking water that travels through copper pipes can also contain copper.

Copper RDA or Suggested Daily Intake
The U.S. daily recommended intake of copper is 0.9 milligrams.

Copper Deficiency
During the past decade, there has been increasing interest in the concept that marginal deficits of copper element can contribute to the development and progression of a number of disease states including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Deficits of copper nutrient during pregnancy can result in gross structural malformations in the conceptus, and persistent neurological and immunological abnormalities in the offspring. Excessive amounts of copper in the body can also pose a risk.

Toxicity
Acute copper toxicity can result in a number of pathologies, and in severe cases, death. Chronic copper toxicity can result in liver disease and severe neurological defects. The concept that elevated ceruloplasmin is a risk factor.
In China, dumplings are served by millions of families during the annual Dragon Boat Festival. The glutinous rice dumplings, or "zongzi", are wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves and shaped like pyramids, but some unscrupulous manufacturers are using copper-based chemicals to keep the leaves green. The leaves dyed by copper sulphate or copper chloride contain metal elements which will penetrate into the zongzi and cause harm. Some zongzi may contained 30 times more copper than the national standard.

Copper and Depression
Magnesium and copper are important modulators of NMDA-receptor activity. Recent data indicate that disturbances of glutamatergic transmission (especially via NMDA-receptor) are involved in pathogenesis of mood disorders. Magnesium deficiency, the same as disturbances in turn over of copper, are related to a variety of psychological symptoms especially depression. There are many reports indicating significant changes in blood levels of magnesium or copper during a depressive episode.

Copper can contribute to the formation of damaging free radicals in the body while low magnesium may also contribute to inflammation. Low zinc levels may impair immune function, while zinc also shields the body from free radicals. Epidemiology, May 2006.

Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate (Cuppric Sulfate)

Copper and Prions
The main proteins associated with Alzheimer's and prion diseases (amyloid precursor protein (APP) and prion protein (PrP(C)), respectively, have binding sites for copper and it has therefore been suggested that they play a role in copper metabolism.




Have a great day.

Regards
Tracey