If You’re Over 60, Eating More of This Essential Mineral Could Protect Your Brain
Longevity, particularly brain health, is at the forefront of wellness trends. Science has linked HIIT workouts and thermostat temperatures to improved cognitive function and attention span. Even how fast someone speaks can reveal a lot about their brain health. But sometimes, protecting your brain simply requires eating more vitamins and minerals.
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Researchers believe copper can boost cognitive performance in older adults.
Copper is an essential element that naturally derives from the Earth’s soil, explains Cleveland Clinic. But because the human body isn’t capable of producing copper itself, we have to source it through the foods we eat.
Research has linked copper to improvements in skin health, immunity, healthy red blood cells, bone health, and other physiological functions. Moreover, eating more copper can also help keep your brain sharp, according to a new study published in the journal Nature.
Scientists evaluated diet and health data from 2,420 U.S. participants over the age of 60. Results showed that those with higher copper daily intake consistently scored better on cognitive exams, compared to their peers who consumed lower amounts of copper.
Their findings didn’t change even after adjusting for age, gender, race, body mass index, smoking and alcohol habits, as well as health variables, such as hypertension, diabetes, history of cardiovascular disease, and stroke. In fact, “elevated” copper intake led to a “more pronounced increase” in test scores among stroke patients.
“This aligns with increasing evidence that copper significantly affects brain health and disease,” wrote the authors.
So, how much copper should you be aiming to consume per day? The answer depends on various factors, most notably age. But for adults over 60, the researchers found that 1.22 milligrams of dietary copper per day can boost brain health.
However, exceeding 1.22 milligrams per day wasn’t associated with a greater payoff.
“When copper intake surpassed these thresholds, the correlation between dietary copper intake and cognitive performance lost statistical significance, indicating that cognitive scores do not continue to increase with further increases in copper consumption in older adults,” states the study.
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Monitor your copper intake, as extreme use can be toxic.
Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
Copper toxicity, although “rare” in healthy individuals, is possible. Having a significant amount of copper in the bloodstream has also been associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to the NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements.
Signs of copper toxicity include:
- Liver damage
- Abdominal pain
- Cramps
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
“Though copper is necessary for proper functioning of the brain, and deficiencies can lead to neurological disorders, excessive copper can be toxic, leading to oxidative stress and neurodegeneration,” wrote the researchers.
RELATED: Doctors Warn You’re Not Getting Enough of This Vitamin to Protect Against Stroke and Dementia.
How to naturally incorporate more copper into your diet:
As it turns out, a lot of our favorite foods (like avocado whole grain toast!) are naturally high in copper. If you’re trying to increase your copper intake, the NIH says these foods are highest in the essential mineral:
- Beef liver, 3 oz: 1,378% of daily value (DV)
- Oysters, 3 oz: 539% DV
- Potato, 1 medium with skin on: 75% DV
- Shiitake mushrooms, 1/2 cup: 72% DV
- Cashews, 1 oz: 70% DV
- Dungeness crab, 3 oz: 69% DV
- Sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup: 68% DV
- Dark chocolate, 1 oz: 56% DV
- Tofu, 1/2 cup: 53% DV
- Chickpeas, 1/2 cup: 32% DV
- Salmon, 3 oz: 30% DV
- Avocado, 1/2 cup: 24% DV
- Figs, 1/2 cup: 24% DV
- Spinach, 1/2 cup: 17% DV
If you have a copper deficiency, your doctor may recommend taking a multivitamin or mineral supplement that contains copper.