Copper poisoning

A generally treatable condition resulting from a overdose of copper. Possible sources of copper include:

• Copper water pipes.
• Birth Control (copper is the main ingredient of most birth control pills).
• There are foods that are high in copper, such as chocolate, grapes, mushrooms, shrimp, peanut butter and bran flakes.
• Swimming pool water (many algaecides have copper as a main ingredient).
• Beer or white wine. Both are filtered with copper sulfides.
• Planting crops under a high voltage transmission tower. These towers use copper wires and copper ions do get into the soil.

Symptoms of acute copper poisoning include:

• Burning sensation
• Metallic taste
• Pain
• Shock
• No urine output
• Convulsions
• Fever
• Muscular aches
• Chills
• Weakness
• Anemia
• Yellow eyes
• Yellow skin
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Symptoms of long term copper overexposure include:

• Hair loss
• Infertility and problem pregnancies
• Early PMS, and possible stoppage of menstruation altogether.
• Prohibits you from losing weight no matter what you do.
• Makes you more vulnerable to viral infections.
• Can lead to dyslexia
• Kidney and liver damage (only in extremely high amounts)
• Death (also only in very high amounts)

How to treat copper poisoning

The normal treatment is to induce vomiting unless the patient is unconscious or experiencing convulsions. If a large amount of copper is ingested, a emergency room trip may be needed. If so the usual steps they might perform include:

• Induce vomiting
• Administer activated charcoal
• Use gastric lavage
• Administer an antidote
• Dialysis
• Treat the symptoms

Prognosis

If treated promptly and properly, copper poisoning is rarely severe. If toxicity is due to long-time accumulation, the ultimate outcome depends on the extent of damage in body organs affected by the metal.