Research suggests excess copper consumption may contribute to Alzheimer's disease

(http://www.counselheal.com) A study recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America by a team of researchers from the University of Rochester in New York shows that copper levels in the brain may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers fed mice water with low levels of copper to see what effects its accumulation would have. Previous studies have suggested that copper could benefit functions of the brain; however, the researchers for this study found that increased consumption of copper caused the mineral to build up in the brain's blood vessels. The study suggests that this accumulation of copper could inhibit the removal and increase production of amyloid-s, a protein that is often found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients and is thought to play a role in the disease.

"It is clear that, over time, copper's cumulative effect is to impair the systems by which amyloid beta is removed from the brain," Dr. Rashid Deane, the lead researcher said according to BBC News. "It's a double whammy of increased production and decreased clearance of amyloid protein."

Copper is commonly found in foods like shellfish, nuts, red meat, vegetables and fruits as well as drinking water. It is an essential part of the diet, and, as such, the researchers recommend that people simply try not to consume excess amounts of copper from items like dietary supplements.

"The key will be striking the right balance between too much and too little copper consumption," Deane explained according to the LA Times. "Right now, we cannot say what the right level will be. But diet may one day play an important role in regulating this process."