Copper/Zinc Imbalance Causes Anxiety
The human body has an amazing ability to regulate the amount of key trace metals such as zinc and copper. When this system fails to function properly, abnormal levels can develop in the brain and other parts of the body.
Copper and zinc are regarded as neurotransmitters and are in high concentrations in the brain. As a result, elevated copper and depressed zinc have been associated with hyperactivity, attention deficit disorders, behavior disorders, anxiety, and depression. Also, many of those labeled with autism and paranoid schizophrenia have elevated blood copper levels. Other common symptoms associated with excess copper are severe PMS, acne, eczema, sensitive skin, sunburn, headaches, poor immune function, and white spots under the fingernails.
Over the years that I have been practicing alternative medicine, I found that some patients with anxiety had only a partial response to the therapies I had prescribed. This was frustrating for me and for the patients. However, once I started testing and treating these patients for their copper/ zinc imbalances, they saw a dramatic improvement in their symptoms. This turned out to be the missing key that released them from their debilitating symptoms.
One recent example is Gale, a woman who had lived most of her life with pervasive anxiety and stress. As you read the following you can get an idea of what it must be like to live with this type of fear on a daily basis.
“Since reading and seeing on TV the devastating fires in Santa Rosa and Paradise, my safety has been shaken. I worry that the world is not a safe place to live. I wake up fearful, worried and overwhelmed all the time. At night when sleeping I’ll startle awake then I’m unable to fall back to sleep because my mind races about things. I want to be home by myself because I do not want to be put out there to be harmed. I have been getting obsessive about this. It is not usual for me to catastrophize, especially about the safety of my kids. Since having kids, I feel I am not in control of things.”
On testing, Gale’s copper levels were very high and her zinc low. After treating this imbalance for three months, she was excited to share how much better she was feeling.
“I am feeling really good. My stress level is way down to where I have just occasional pangs of anxiety when things are super stressful, but not constant like before. My obsessive thoughts are at least 50% better. I have better energy and have lost 25 lbs. Ever since my daughter was born 15 years ago I have not been able to lose any weight.
Sleep is so much better because I’m not startling awake and if I do wake up, rather than tossing and turning for hours, I go right back to sleep. The daily headaches that I used to get are rare now.”
I have found that when treating copper/zinc imbalances in patients, they experience similar improvements in their mental and physical health.
Terry Pfau DO, HMD