Copper Toxicity
"Copper lowers dopamine (a neurotransmitter that controls the brain’s pleasure and reward centers) and increases norepinephrine (another neurotransmitter that also functions as a stress hormone) in the brain. Imbalances in these important neurotransmitters are related to anxiety and panic disorders, depression (especially postpartum), bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism, violence, and paranoid schizophrenia."
- Dr. William Walsh, PhD
Copper toxicity can go years if not an entire lifetime being ignored due to the normalization of negative symptoms via society and medical institutions. The main causes of copper toxicity are copper pipes, hormonal contraceptives, the Copper IUD, copper sulfate (pesticide), copper cookware, xenoestrogens, and phytoestrogens.
Estrogen raises copper levels, which is why women on hormonal contraceptives and the Copper IUD are more prone to copper toxicity. If the liver is not functioning properly to detox then copper becomes stored within the body, typically in the liver and brain- which is why many copper toxic individuals experience neurologic symptoms.
Zinc and copper are a well known ratio and they must be balanced together. Zinc deficiency is typically seen in those with excess copper. Factors that impact zinc absorption include phytates, commonly found in plant foods, vegan and vegetarian diets. Taurine and sulfur are two important minerals necessary for the detoxification process and vegans and vegetarians are typically deficient in both. Taurine is an amino acid only found in meat products, not vegetables causing an immediate deficiency in these two diets. It is also the main reason for bile production within the liver which is necessary to detox heavy metals and copper. Without adequate bile production, heavy metals can become mobilized but reabsorbed rather than excreted from the body. This can then lead to further worsening of symptoms, especially neurologic if those toxins reaccumulate in the brain.
When copper becomes mobilized without proper nutritional support, we call this “copper dumping” and it creates many nasty and scary side effects. Several factors can induce a copper dump such as emotional or physical stress, medications, drugs, alcohol, trauma dumping, intense or cardio exercise, and vitamin D and / or calcium supplementation.
Why your symptoms may not be what you’ve been told:
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In the world of mental health, we are often taught to look at symptoms through a single lens—low serotonin. But what if that’s not the full picture? What if your anxiety, mood swings, intrusive thoughts, or emotional overwhelm aren’t coming from a serotonin deficiency…
but from a deeper biochemical imbalance rooted in your minerals? This is where copper comes into the conversation.
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Copper has a direct and powerful influence on your brain chemistry: Copper plays a role in increasing serotonin activity. This is important because many people are told their symptoms are due to low serotonin—but in cases of copper toxicity, serotonin can actually be too high or improperly regulated.
This can contribute to:
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Emotional sensitivity
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Overwhelm
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Mood instability
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Intrusive or looping thoughts
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At the same time, copper tends to lower dopamine.
Dopamine is responsible for:
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Motivation
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Focus
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Drive
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Pleasure and reward
Low dopamine can feel like:
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Apathy or lack of motivation
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ADHD-like symptoms
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Brain fog
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Feeling “flat” or disconnected
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Difficulty completing tasks
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Copper can also interfere with GABA, your brain’s primary calming neurotransmitter. When GABA is low, the nervous system struggles to slow down.
This can show up as:
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Anxiety or inner tension
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Feeling “wired but tired”
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Trouble relaxing
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Panic or overstimulation
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Why SSRIs Don’t Work for Everyone
SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are designed to increase serotonin levels. For someone who truly has low serotonin, this can be supportive. But for someone with copper toxicity? They may already have elevated or dysregulated serotonin. So when serotonin is pushed even higher, it can actually make symptoms worse.
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This is why some people experience:
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Increased anxiety after starting SSRIs
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Emotional numbness or blunting
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Worsening brain fog
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Feeling “off” or not like themselves
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No relief (or temporary relief followed by regression)
In these cases, the issue was never a serotonin deficiency. It was a mineral imbalance driving neurotransmitter dysfunction
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When we only look at symptoms through a pharmaceutical lens, we miss the root cause. Your body is not broken. Your symptoms are not random. They are signals. In many cases, those signals are pointing back to your minerals—the foundation of how your brain and body function.
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Instead of asking:
“What medication do I need?” We begin asking: “What is my body trying to tell me?”
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Through tools like Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA), we can begin to understand:
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Mineral imbalances like copper overload
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Patterns affecting neurotransmitters
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Why your body is responding the way it is
From there, we support the body—rather than override it.