Reducing Copper, Iron Intake in Older Adults

ANN ARBOR, Mich.Scientific evidence links high levels of copper and iron to Alzheimers disease, heart disease, diabetes and other age-related disorders; therefore, older consumers should avoid build up of unhealthy amounts of these metals in their bodies, according to a new report published in ACS Chemical Research in Toxicology.

According to the report, Risks of Copper and Iron Toxicity during Aging in Humans, after age 50, high levels of copper and iron can damage cells in ways that may contribute to a range of age-related diseases. The author outlined steps people over age 50 can take to reduce copper and iron intake including avoiding vitamin and mineral pills that contain cooper and iron; avoiding a high-fat diet, lowering meat intake; avoiding drinking water from copper pipes; donating blood regularly to reduce iron levels; and taking zinc supplements to lower copper.