I would highly recommend the book "Why Am I Always so Tired" by Ann Louise Gittleman who clearly describes the zinc/copper connection. The problem can be multifactorial. A person may have too much copper in relation to zinc (we should have one part copper to eight parts zinc), or a person can actually have a copper deficiency, whilst having too much copper in the tissues (so you have copper overload and deficiency at the same time). I won't even try to explain it because I will probably get it wrong. However, I would seriously run to your library today and get that book. I have never actually bought it, but I borrow it from my library and read it once a year or so, just to remind myself of what she says. A lot of healthy foods are super high in copper, not to mention copper piping in our homes and other sources of copper, which makes an awful lot of people zinc deficient (because they have too much copper in relation to zinc). The liver processes copper out of the body, so if a person's liver is sluggish, they can also became copper toxic, even if their intake is appropriate. Coffee enemas help detox the liver and cause a gallbladder release, which helps remove copper from the liver.
-- Soon after starting 100mg iodine daily I started taking 25mg of zinc with each meal and started feeling better overall internally. I noticed my face breaking out less. After a month or so I decided to take 50mg to see what happened. I felt even better and broke out even less. So I upped it to 75mg with each meal and the breakouts stopped. I haven't had clear skin in decades. So I kept taking it and starting doing zinc research.
I learned that zinc and copper work together in the body, and that a person can become copper dominant. I also learned that not all zinc is created equal. Some is more absorbable than others. Some comes with copper and some is just zinc. Another thing I learned is that animal products have a ton of zinc, while plants have a ton of copper. I had been a vegan for three years and now I think I ruined my health doing so (despite what my cancer MDs say that vegan is the best diet for cancer patients).
But the most important thing I learned is that too much zinc can cause a heart attack. The first naturopath I visited was freaked out and begged me to stop taking it. She said she had zit products to sell me. I ended up not continuing with her because of other reasons and found a second naturpath who said, "Well let's just have you take the test to see if you are deficient." I took the test and her eyes got big. "Go ahead and take as much zinc as you want because you are very, very deficient. We'll keep testing you until you come up to normal and then you can save your money."
Then I ran out of zinc one day and intended to get more tomorrow. By the end of the day I had zits all over my face. It was kind of shocking, to be honest. Because I went straight to the store and bought more zinc and by morning they were completely gone. They were whiteheads that would crust and turn dark red, seriously sad looking breakouts.
So please see what works for you and be sure to do research and most importantly have someone overseeing the process. I hope this helps someone else dealing with the same problems.
-- Soon after starting 100mg iodine daily I started taking 25mg of zinc with each meal and started feeling better overall internally. I noticed my face breaking out less. After a month or so I decided to take 50mg to see what happened. I felt even better and broke out even less. So I upped it to 75mg with each meal and the breakouts stopped. I haven't had clear skin in decades. So I kept taking it and starting doing zinc research.
I learned that zinc and copper work together in the body, and that a person can become copper dominant. I also learned that not all zinc is created equal. Some is more absorbable than others. Some comes with copper and some is just zinc. Another thing I learned is that animal products have a ton of zinc, while plants have a ton of copper. I had been a vegan for three years and now I think I ruined my health doing so (despite what my cancer MDs say that vegan is the best diet for cancer patients).
But the most important thing I learned is that too much zinc can cause a heart attack. The first naturopath I visited was freaked out and begged me to stop taking it. She said she had zit products to sell me. I ended up not continuing with her because of other reasons and found a second naturpath who said, "Well let's just have you take the test to see if you are deficient." I took the test and her eyes got big. "Go ahead and take as much zinc as you want because you are very, very deficient. We'll keep testing you until you come up to normal and then you can save your money."
Then I ran out of zinc one day and intended to get more tomorrow. By the end of the day I had zits all over my face. It was kind of shocking, to be honest. Because I went straight to the store and bought more zinc and by morning they were completely gone. They were whiteheads that would crust and turn dark red, seriously sad looking breakouts.
So please see what works for you and be sure to do research and most importantly have someone overseeing the process. I hope this helps someone else dealing with the same problems.