ATA Editor’s Note: Dramatic clinical improvements in some cases of rheumatoid disease have resulted with the use of new resin coated copper granules. This paper covers the rationale and techniques of treatment. Copper is considered a trace mineral, and in this form, it is used as a dietary supplement, as rheumatoid patients are so often deficient in this mineral. Normal and healthy persons usually show no reaction to these doses of copper, and no severe effects or reactions have been reported. Much clinical testing and follow-up reports must be obtained before the method is recommended for general use.

According to the research by the late Dr. Roger Wyburn-Mason, the cause of rheumatoid arthritis and some other chronic and rheumatoid diseases may be an amoeba parasite, amoebae Limax or Naegleria. These organisms, or whatever is eventually proved to be a cause for these conditions, are sensitive in varying degrees to various antibiotic substances.

Basic research has been done which indicates that the causative agents or rheumatoid diseases are susceptible of being destroyed by minute amounts of pure metallic copper. For example, even water contaminated with limax amoebae can be cleansed by running through copper pipe. Since it “is not possible to run a person thru a pipe of copper,” the copper ion must be given to a person in another form. While Dr. Wyburn-Mason reported some success [curing rheumatoid disease] with copper sulfate, less toxic forms have been sought by clinical investigators.

It has been found that pure metallic copper can be prepared and administered in the form of granules in microgram quantities on an ion exchange resin.* This is successfully used as a nutritional supplement in patients deficient in this element, which appears to make them more susceptible to chronic illnesses of the rheumatoid type.

Copper is an essential trace mineral in human diets, consumed daily in some foods, and contributes to health in the formation of new blood cells, the red blood cells and the leukocytes which help the patient to fight infections.

Some physicians have found that when copper of this type is used in microgram quantities, it is a very conservative treatment, obtaining therapeutic benefits in ridding the body of toxic parasites such as amoebae without risking toxic reactions or serious side effects. Of course, as with any heavy metal, taking too much copper or for too long a time can produce adverse effects which can easily be detected and avoided or treated.

Ceruloplasmin and serum copper levels are indicators for therapeutic and also toxic levels of copper permitting periodic evaluations by the physician. As with any method of arthritis treatment, if effective results are obtained, certain baseline laboratory values, including a SMAC-24, a CBC, and serum copper levels and ceruloplasmin levels must be determined for later reference.

Contraindications to this treatment may be any abnormal neurological signs or symptoms, although some success with this therapy has been seen in one neurological disease where it seems that copper deprivation may be a factor.

The Treatment Program

The following protocol is utilized in treating patients with active rheumatoid disease:

When the patient has signed an informed consent to a new type of food supplement to correct a probable essential trace mineral deficiency, a test amount of the ionic copper granules can be given in the [doctor's] office. This may be as few as 5 [granules] or as many as 20, although 15 is the average amount for a 150 pound adult male.

As one becomes familiar with the treatment, a “feeling” of the proper amount for each patient will develop. In a short time, clinical judgment will determine the initial dose and the amount to be increased each day, usually divided into three equal doses, taken on the tongue and washed down with a half glass or more of water.

The first treatment program will take about six weeks and the patient should have a favorable response, which may be from moderate relief and improvement of signs and symptoms to a complete or permanent remission.

In addition to the copper granules, patients may take their customary medicine for arthritis discomfort, and a biologically active nutritional supplement is also used.

As with all antibiotic therapy, the substance used is usually given to achieve a specific blood level. For the use of copper as a nutritional supplement and to build up the natural resistance of the body to the infective agent, no definite blood levels have been determined. They may be different for different patients. Clinical observations along with the specific blood levels for the particular patient will act as a guide should it seem desirable to repeat the program.

When the therapeutic level of copper in the blood is reached, then the susceptible microorganisms, whose presence is the probable cause of the disease, are killed by the chemical activity of copper ions. This is an all-encompassing phenomenon, and it affects the entire population of microorganisms in question. But the killing of the susceptible microorganisms may, and usually does, result in the production of a Herxheimer reaction. (The patient may feel that the arthritis is getting worse, or that a flare-up or aggravation of the disease is occurring. It should be explained to the patient that this is an “expected reaction” probably caused by release of toxic substances from the killed pathogenic organisms, or the amoebae in rheumatoid arthritis, and not by live microorganisms of any exacerbation of the disease.)

The extent of the Herxheimer reaction is directly related to the number of the microorganisms being destroyed, the area of the body that has been affected by the rheumatoid disease, the rate of release of toxins from the dead microorganisms and the patient’s own resistance or sensitivity to foreign proteins.

Rarely, some patients experience a severe reaction appear “really sick.” But the whole secret of success with this treatment with copper granules is to get the patients past the Herxheimer reaction with a minimum of discomfort and apprehension about the apparent flare-up of the disease.

This is usually best accomplished by getting past the stage of the reaction as quickly as possible, as opposed to stringing out the process and prolonging the agony.

Start the patient on whatever level that it appears can be comfortably handled. For example: Prescribe an initial dose of 10 granules. This is to be taken three times a day the first day. Then increase the total dose by 5 granules each day, observing the reactions and tolerance. If this does not provoke a reaction, then increase the daily total by 10 granules per day until the patient is taking 75 to 80 granules per day. This level is maintained for 10 to 14 days. Then, the maximum dose is achieved by going to 90 granules a day. Then the Herxheimer reaction should be safely passed, permitting the patient to take 90 granules 2 times a day for two weeks, then the lesser dose of 100 granules once a day for two weeks. Then the copper medication is stopped and the clinical and laboratory evaluations repeated to judge the state or progress and recovery of the patient.

The treating physician should expect and look for signs of a Herxheimer reaction in his patient once the copper granule treatment has been started. It may be very mild and immediate, taking only a few seconds, or it may develop later, several hours to several days to manifest itself. Since it is due to the killing of the microorganisms responsible for the disease, it is a clinical confirmation of the diagnosis of rheumatoid disease as well as an indication that the patient will benefit for the treatment with improvement or complete recovery.

The reaction to the copper granules is not a drug reaction. When the granules are given to a control who is a healthy subject, no Herxheimer reaction occurs.

If the patient has had a treatment with [methotrexate], gold therapy, penicillamine or cortico-steroids currently or recently, or for long periods of time, the usual physiological Herxheimer response may be altered. In some of these patients, it may be entirely absent. This probably indicates that the normal immunological responses of the patient’s body has been altered by these drugs. It may also indicate an acquired resistance of the pathological organism responsible for the disease to antibiotic agents.

What should the patient be told to expect in the form of a Herxheimer reaction? These symptoms may occur in order of their frequency and severity:

1. A dry, “funny” or metallic taste in the mouth.
2. Increased aching and pain in the joints.
3. Muscle fatigue and a “burning” sensation.
4. Loss of appetite, nausea, occasional vomiting.
5. Diarrhea or constipation, cramping, gas.
6. Some tissue or joints swelling, redness, local heat and inflammation.
7. Increased muscle and joint stiffness.
8. Low fever and night sweats.

Other rare signs and symptoms may temporarily appear, mimicking other rheumatoid diseases: Skin manifestations, eruptions, scaling, eczema, and psoriatic appearing lesions. If the organisms have been lodged in the tissues of the central, peripheral or autonomic nervous systems, there may appear neurological or sensory symptoms, including the special functions of vision, hearing, taste, and smell.

Since Rheumatoid diseases are systemic in nature, the endocrine tissues seem to have an affinity for the organisms causing the infection. In the Herxheimer reaction, there may be significant changes, such as alteration of the menstrual cycle, decreased need for insulin in diabetes, less thyroid requirement in hypothyroidism, and reduction in the signs and symptoms of endometriosis. Headaches are not uncommon, and psychological changes may be noticed temporarily such as unexplained anger, depression, irritability, listlessness, fatigue, etc. The patient must be reassured regarding these phenomena, and they may be reduced or prevented by appropriate treatment. Complete suppression, however, removes a significant clinical observation which the physician uses as a treatment guide.

However, in some patients, it may be necessary to treat it or to suppress the Herxheimer reaction to help the patient get past this stage of treatment with less discomfort and less physical disability. This may be done in one of several ways. First, the daily dose of copper granules may be reduced by one half or more for two or three days, or until the uncomfortable symptoms subside, then beginning again on a lower level. Second, the medication may be completely halted for a week or so, then begun with a covering dose of symptomatic medications. Third, medications may be taken along with the copper granules without conflict or weakening of their therapeutic effect. These may include analgesics such as aspirin and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants and antiemetics. Fourth, an initial dose of depo-steroidal drug may be administered once a week until the Herxheimer symptoms have subsided or are past.

Then, when the Herxheimer reaction has been suppressed, the disease should be treated more vigorously, increasing the dose of the copper granules to 30 granules three times a day and up to 90 granules twice a day for two weeks, then 100 granules once a day for two weeks. Then the medication – or food supplement – as it should be considered, is stopped. By this time, the patient’s body has been saturated with a high and normal amount of copper sufficient to control the active form of the disease.

The philosophy behind the copper granule use in rheumatoid disease is to restore normal tissue levels of copper and then increase these to tolerance to inhibit and kill microorganisms responsible for these chronic systemic infections. While it will be important to continue research on the nature of these infectious forms, protozoa, mycoplasmas, or viruses, it is not necessary to identify the cause to get a good treatment result.

The copper granules permit the patient to be treated at a variable rate according to his own tolerance to the signs and symptoms of the Herxheimer reaction. The rate of “kill-off” of the microorganisms is directly related to the amount of copper granules used. Each copper granule will kill a certain amount of susceptible microorganisms. Ten granules will kill ten times as many. Fifty granules will kill fifty times as much. So the rate at which the patient can be treated, and his or her disease controlled, is dose related.

No serious reactions have developed with this treatment. There are no contraindications known to date. And there are no drug sensitivities or sensitivity problems with copper granules, since it is a normal physiological trace mineral in the human body.

Conclusions

Metallic copper in pure ionic granules has been successful in treating the rheumatoid diseases when used as a dietary supplement and increasing the amounts up to tolerance of the patients to Herxheimer reaction symptoms. No adverse or metal toxicity reactions have occurred to this form of copper in the amounts recommended. Recovery and improvement in rheumatoid signs and symptoms with this new method suggest its importance as a new road to health for the patient.