In a promising study, mice with ALS lived longer and had improved locomotor function when they were given a copper compound.
Copper is a necessary trace element—you get it from foods like molasses, nuts, beef liver, and and cocoa—it helps with iron uptake, collagen production, and several other mechanisms. Your body is already used to processing it, so you rarely get too much (and usually not being able to process iron is tied to a genetic defect).
You can also often find copper in multivitamin supplements. If you’re really interested in adding copper to your diet, you can try colloidal copper (pure nanosized particles).
Scientists are going to pursue a copper treatment for ALS—human trials are on the horizon. They are hopeful it may be a useful basis for a Parkinson’s treatment.
ALS is a degenerative disease which causes the loss of muscle control and is eventually fatal. There are many variations of ALS—some are fast acting, some are inherited, some are thought to be caused by free radical damage. In the US, many people know ALS as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Treatment is more about managing symptoms than curing the disease. Diagnosis occurs after talking to your doctor about early signs of muscle degeneration (like trouble walking).
Eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies, especially orange fruits and veggies which contain beta-carotene and red ones like tomatoes which contain lycopene may help prevent/delay ALS thanks to the way they support the immune system.
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