Copper bottles are a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and improve your immunity. Yes, drinking water in a copper bottle has plenty of health benefits. These include better digestion, wound healing, and improved thyroid health. Furthermore, while most Indian households use RO and UV purifiers today, the traditional method was to store water in copper vessels to purify drinking water. The technique helps kill microorganisms and other harmful elements. In recent times, this trend of using copper utensils has picked up again. While it is backed by support from Ayurveda and is deemed beneficial by several research pieces, we have decided to dig deep into it to find out more about its benefits, as well as side effects, if any!
Copper Water Bottle Benefits
Drinking water from the best and pure copper bottles have endless health benefits. Copper bottle releases copper ions into the drinking water, which increases its pH, through what is known as the “alkalizing effect.” It takes several hours for the ions to release; once infused, the copper water supports multiple bodily functions. Ayurveda endorses the use of copper utensils as it balances the Vata, Kapha, and Pitta doshas. Here is a list of benefits of drinking water in copper bottles and jugs:
Antibacterial Properties
Copper has remarkable antibacterial properties, which help remove bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella from drinking water. By storing your water in copper water bottles, you sterilize and purify the drinking water without having it run through multiple purifying stages like those in a standard water purifier. According to the World Health Organization (2014), about 3.4 million people die annually due to water-borne illnesses. As a developing country, India faces a dire need for sanitation facilities and better-quality drinking water. This low-cost Ayurveda practice can be quite effective in reducing the risk of bacterial infections. However, the only way for this method to work successfully is by storing the water in the copper bottle for at least 16 hours for its antibacterial effects to kick in.
Digestion
As mentioned above, copper contains antibacterial properties; this helps keep infections at bay and improve digestion. It acts as a natural cleanser, which detoxifies the stomach, liver, and kidneys. Moreover, storing water in a copper bottle helps infuse the essential mineral, which later aids digestion by breaking down food particles and absorbing vital nutrients. Another one of the copper water bottle benefits is that it helps your body break down fat and aids weight loss.
Copper Antioxidant Effect
The metal is also known to be an antioxidant that fights cancer-causing free radicals. Additionally, copper also boosts melanin production, which keeps you away from the sun’s harmful UV rays. More importantly, it replenishes the skin, leaving it soft and supple.
Healing benefits
Its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects boost skin regeneration, which in turn helps your body heal wounds faster. Furthermore, copper also helps to slow down your ageing process, thanks to its natural antioxidant properties. Its cell-forming properties fight off fine lines to keep you looking youthful.
Improves cardiovascular and thyroid health
One of the lesser-known facts about copper is that it dilates blood vessels. Doing so helps to boost blood flow to the heart. According to modern science, having a copper deficiency can contribute to poor cardiovascular health in heart muscles’ dysfunction and impaired blood circulation to the body. Besides improving heart functioning, this vital metal is essential in maintaining the thyroid gland’s health by energizing it.
Other health benefits
The benefits of copper metal are endless! It reduces cholesterol and helps to regulate blood pressure. Having a copper deficiency can lead to the development of hypertension in adults. What’s more, having traces of copper helps absorb iron and reduce the risk of developing anaemia. Having lower levels of copper can cause rare haematological disorders causing reduced white blood cells.
The metal also contains anti-convulsive properties that help to prevent seizures. Having a lack of copper metal in the body can increase the risk of strokes. According to Bannerjee and Das (2016), strokes among the Indian population are much higher than in Western countries. Furthermore, suppose you or someone you know suffers from arthritis or inflamed joints. In that case, we highly recommend the consumption of water stored in copper bottles as it contains anti-inflammatory effects along with bone-strengthening traits.
Boosts brain efficiency
Recent researches demonstrate the importance of copper in maintaining the brain’s health. Experiencing inadequate copper oxidation can be linked with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Wilson’s. One of copper’s main functions in boosting brain efficiency is helping cells transmit and receive better by carrying out the impulses. Having “Tamra Jal” (water stored in copper vessels) balances hormones and doshas to stimulate the body’s functioning.
Environmental benefits
Among the various metals in the market, copper is one of the cheapest and environment-friendliest. It is relatively easy to recycle and can help curb single-use plastic. As more and more people switch to reusable bottles, copper is the top choice for reducing one’s carbon footprint. Not only is it environmentally safe, but it serves plenty of health benefits!
Side Effects
If you’re thinking of jumping the copper water bottle trend’s bandwagon, we would like you to stop and educate yourself on the side effects of consuming copper water.
While it contains numerous health-promoting properties, long-range exposure to copper can cause multiple toxicities. Acute copper toxicity can occur from consuming food or water stored in copper utensils; the symptoms are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea. Copper poisoning has also been linked with liver damage and kidney failure. The World Health Organization (WHO) has established a permissible value of 2mg/litre copper. It is important to note that several tap water sources are copper-contaminated. Storing this water in copper utensils can further increase copper to leach into the water, leading to copper toxicity. However, most research evidence shows that water stored in copper bottles for up to 16 hours is well within WHO’s guideline values. Health experts recommend taking no more than three cups of copper water in a day.
Furthermore, using bottles made out of impure copper can lead to chemicals leaching into the drinking water. Similarly, mixing copper water with lemon may lead to acidic reactions leading to nausea and vomiting. This reaction may occur when you use an unlined copper water bottle. When the copper interacts with any acidic element, it releases copper salts like blue vitriol or copper sulfate. It further leads to copper poisoning, which can be fatal and can cause several health issues. For this purpose, we suggest consuming plain water and avoiding honey, dairy products, and substances containing citrus.
Most importantly, only purchase utensils that are certified and are of a high standard. Another critical point to note is that when heated, copper vessels can release many copper ions. It can further lead to copper toxicity.
One way to identify excessive copper content in the water is by looking for a metallic taste. Some of the symptoms indicating copper poisoning include:
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Fever
- Headache
- Traces of blood in vomit
- Dark or black stool
- The yellowing appearance of eyes and skin
Copper toxicity can also be accompanied by psychological symptoms like:
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Mood swings
- Sadness
- Trouble concentrating
Considering the multiple health benefits of copper water, like antibacterial and antioxidant properties, we highly endorse the trend. However, it does not go without saying that it requires plenty of precautions! To stay protected, we recommend testing your water source for copper levels. Avoid using copper metal utensils in the case of elevated levels. Procure your utensils from a reputable seller selling high-quality copperware. While using copper bottles, do not mix drinking water with other substances to avoid stomach troubles! And, lastly, keep your bottle polished and tarnish-free to prevent impacting copper’s reactivity.
Pros and Cons of Drinking Copper Water
| Pros | Cons |
| Kills harmful microorganisms | Copper toxicity leading to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea |
| Improves digestion | Long-term copper poisoning can cause damage to the liver and kidneys |
| Fights cancer with its antioxidant properties | |
| It helps to prevent anaemia | |
| Boosts cardiovascular health | |
| Aids in weight loss | |
| Heals wounds faster |
To conclude, drinking water from copper bottles or jugs has its own benefits and side effects. However, the benefits supersede the side effects and that’s why health experts recommend people to drink copper water. You just have to ensure that you are not overdoing it.