Copper Deficiency - Mimics MS?
 

I found this article on-line:

http://voices.yahoo.com/what-symptom...s-6616826.html

What are the signs and symptoms of copper deficiency? Since copper is important for producing ceruloplasmin, the protein that transports iron in the bloodstream, some of the symptoms of copper deficiency come from a lack of available iron. The most common is anemia, or a low red blood cell count. Copper deficiency can also cause a decrease in white blood cell numbers, which can affect immunity to infection.

Lack of copper also affects the central nervous system and spinal cord and can mimic the symptoms of B12 deficiency. A person deficient in copper may experience demyelination of nerves in the brain and spinal cord, which can lead to sensory changes, loss of sensation, difficulty walking, tremor, loss of balance, difficulty swallowing, problems speaking, and depression. The symptoms of a copper deficiency in humans can mimic those of multiple sclerosis.

A person with a lack of copper may also feel fatigued, feel nauseated, and lose pigment in their skin and hair.

I was not aware of that. How many people check for copper deficiency?

I don't think I have ever been advised by my Doc to check my
copper level. I'll ask about it next appt.

Thanks..:)

Yes, I had blood work done like 20 times over a 3 year period in an attempt by doctors and normal neuros to determine what was wrong with me. When I finally saw an MS specialist he ordered more blood work to check for really rare problems, copper deficiency was one of them.

I've never had my copper level checked that I know of. I think any kind of deficiency can cause an array of issues with people. We know that vitamin B12 deficiency can cause MS like symptoms and that a number of MSers are deficient in vitamin B12. Vitamin D deficiency can cause muscle aches and pains as well as fatigue. Magnesium deficiency can cause all sorts of symptoms. Each of these deficiencies can mimic MS and I'm sure there are lots more out there that can cause MS like symptoms.

I never had my copper levels checked, but funny though - I spent my first 9 years living in a cold-climate copper mining town (with lots of heavy metals in the local environment) - my sister who has Lupus, lived there as well.

I wonder if there is any relationship between heavy metal deficiency/exposure/overload?????

From what I have read, low copper is not that common.

It can occur when you have high zinc levels or intake...as they are connected somehow during absorption.

When copper gets low, there is an anemia that happens as well.

Here is a good monograph with references on copper:

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/copper/

I'm taking a 24 hour urine heavy metal test starting tomorrow. Thank you for posting this. In my research I found out the same thing about heavy metals. Deficits and over exposure can cause a lot of problems that mimic neurological diseases. They may cause these conditions for all we know. Check out my response on the thread "Final Results for MS Testing." I explain why I am doing the testing and provided a link to a thread where a lady having neuro problems was from Mercury poisoning and was getting better after detoxing. I also bought a kit to check my city water supply to test for lead and other chemicals, and some in house mold tests too. That may be over the top (it sounds crazy, I know :) ) but since my girlfriend and my pets both use the same water source and we live in the same environment I would like to know it's safe either way. THANKS AGAIN!

I saw my neurologist last week. He's at a national medical school and said he now wanted to test me for both copper and zinc deficiency as they can mimic MS and lead to damage. I did a bunch of reading on the topic and the copper deficiency can definitely cause demyelination.

I just got the results back. My Zinc is fine. But my copper is right on the borderline of normal-low. Very interesting! I also have been struggling with iron deficiency and borderline anemia. I might start taking a low dose of copper. I already take Vitamin D, B vitamins, and magnesium supplements.

Copper was one of the first things my MS doc tested for.

More info on copper
 

Here is an interesting abstract from the MDS Conference 2013 in Berlin.

P-156 Berlin 2013
Hypocupremia associated cytopenia and myelopathy: A national retrospective review
A. Gabreyes1, H. Abbasi2, K.P. Forbes3, G. McQuaker1, A. Duncan4,I. Morrison5. 1Haematology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom; 2Neurology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom; 3Neuroradiology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom; 4Scottish Trace Element and Micronutrient Reference Laboratory, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom;5Neurology, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom

Here's the link to the abstract. You'll need to click on the "PDF" under the P156 entry to read the abstract.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...=0&NEXT_LIST=Y