Copper Water Bottles: What Do They Do?

By Published June 16, 2020

Last updated for accuracy June 16, 2020

Storing water in copper containers is something of the past, a practice from centuries ago, that may have held secret healing powers we have abandoned today in the midst of plastic bottles and access to tap water.

Ayurvedic medicine, however, has claimed for thousands of years that copper positively charges the water, and this infusion of energy can help support a variety of health issues. These benefits are even supported with clinical research.

Copper is an essential trace mineral with multiple functions and benefits to our system. One of copper’s properties is that it is anti-microbial and anti-fungal. Simply storing water for at least four hours in a copper water bottle kills microorganisms, including mold, fungus and bacteria. It also alters the pH, increasing water’s alkalinity. Copper has also been studied for its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties.

Copper Fights Bacteria:

In a study that observed the effects of storing water at room temperature in copper pots for 16 hours, bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella were eradicated. pH level also increased, demonstrating copper’s ability to affect pH levels. Alkaline water has been shown to provide additional health benefits.

Another study on copper’s anti-microbial properties showed that water contaminated with colonies of bacteria stored in copper pots vs glass bottles demonstrated that the water in copper pots created safe drinking water whereas the water in the glass bottles was still contaminated. These effects were evident in only a few hours.

The copper content in the water was also measured and determined to be safe for consumption. Although a higher copper level was detected in the water, the upper limits evident were well beneath levels considered toxic to the human system. Even water stored for days in copper bottles does not collect enough copper to increase levels to a concern of toxicity, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Copper’s anti-microbial properties can kill harmful bacteria in the stomach as well as reduce gut inflammation caused by dysbiosis and gut issues such as SIBO, Leaky Gut Syndrome, candida overgrowth, Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.

Copper May Help You Lose Weight:

Copper is a metabolic regulator. A copper deficiency, in fact, may play a role in obesity. Copper helps the body break down fat cells and utilize fat more effectively as energy. It also assists with digestive function and eliminating toxins.

Copper May Improve Thyroid Function:

Certain trace minerals are important for optimal thyroid function. Zinc and copper deficiencies have been shown to co-exist with hypothyroidism and impact optimal thyroid function, according to a study.

When the thyroid is under active, it can inhibit your digestive system from absorbing these “critical” thyroid minerals – copper, zinc, and selenium. These deficiencies can create a vicious loop of never correcting hypothyroidism and its multiple symptoms.

Copper is vital for T4 production and absorption as well as regulating calcium levels.

Copper May Provide Immune Function Support:

Copper’s anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties mean it supports your immune system. Not only does it support quick and optimal wound healing, but it strengthens immune function and cellular regeneration. Copper may also help to heal ulcers and other similar internal wounds.

Copper Supports Cardiovascular Health:

Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. Copper may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by helping to regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Copper deficiency can cause Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD). Copper supplementation can improve many of these risk factors, according to research.

It is suspected that partially due to an increase in people with copper deficiency, many more incidences of IHD are becoming prevalent in our society. Copper helps supply energy to the heart, and deficiencies in copper are linked to the following risk factors: abnormal ECG, hypertension, glucose intolerance, hypercholesterolemia and more, all of which increased incidence of IHD.

Copper Protects Cognitive Health:

Copper supports neuronal transmission, so it may improve memory and cognitive function. Myelin sheaths cover neurons and act as conductive agents assisting in the flow of impulses along the neuronal pathway. Copper plays a role in the development of the phospholipids that support myelin sheath formation.

Copper also helps in the creation of neurotransmitters. A deficiency can impair the nervous system. Clinical evidence shows that copper can help prevent seizures, which speaks to its impact on the central nervous system.

Copper Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties:

Copper is extremely anti-inflammatory, which may help some find relief from pain caused by inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis. It’s anti-oxidant properties also fight free radicals and protect you from serious illness.

The effects of copper on cancer protection and proliferation are mixed. An Italian study published in the journal Dalton Transactions, however, compared copper to a common chemotherapy drug and found that copper was three times more effective at treating certain cancers, such as adenocarcinoma of the colon.

Copper Helps You Age Gracefully:

Copper’s anti-oxidant properties fight free radicals and protect your skin from aging. Copper is also responsible for the production of melanin and helps your body form new cells, which translates to smoother, more glowing skin.

Should You Worry About Copper Toxicity?

Copper toxicity is rare and often associated with a genetic defect that interferes with copper metabolism. Since copper and zinc work symbiotically, a copper toxicity can be repaired with zinc supplementation. Copper poisoning, however, is rare—our livers are able to excrete what the body does not utilize.

According to Ayurveda, drinking water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach after the water has been stored overnight in a copper bottle for eight to ten hours, is a gentle way to replenish the body with the copper it needs.

The World Health Organization confirms that 2.6 mg/liter of copper is safe to drink. Water stored in the copper vessel for several hours absorbs less than 1.20th of that amount of copper, far below any toxicity level. A holistic nutritionist recommends that her clients not exceed more than one liter a day, which is about four glasses of 250 ml a day in order to receive the benefits of copper.

Be sure that you purchase your copper bottles from a reputable source, and that the bottle is comprised of at least 98.3% copper.

Ayurveda recommends storing your water in a copper bottle for 8-10 hours prior to consuming to allow the electromagnetic energy to diffuse.

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