Copper News and Research

RSS

From wild rice to tarwi, researchers are exploring the health potential of Indigenous foods

A conference paper reviewed North American and Andean Indigenous foods, including Three Sisters crops, wild rice, native berries, tarwi, quinoa, and amaranth, and described their nutrients and bioactive compounds. Evidence for health effects remains limited for many of these foods, and the authors call for research developed with Indigenous communities that also supports traditional knowledge and food sovereignty.

28 Sep 2026

Mathematical models simulate how common metals influence Alzheimer's disease

What can mathematics reveal about Alzheimer's disease? Mississippi State Associate Professor Shantia Yarahmadian is using mathematical modeling to examine how common metals may influence a protein that forms plaque associated with Alzheimer's disease-and how potential therapies could alter these processes.

25 Sep 2026

DiCE project outlines roadmap for more sustainable digital healthcare

Together, the studies demonstrate that improving healthcare sustainability requires changes across clinical workflows, logistics, product design and recovery systems rather than focusing only on materials inside individual devices.

23 Sep 2026

Mifepristone offers effective emergency contraception with fewer side effects

Emergency contraception containing mifepristone prevents more pregnancies with fewer side effects than some other common emergency contraceptive pills such as levonorgestrel, according to a new Cochrane review involving 87 trials.

20 Sep 2026

Researchers develop biodegradable microneedle particles to enhance drug delivery

Researchers have developed biodegradable particles with microscopic needles that painlessly puncture the skin to help it absorb drugs delivered through patches or creams.

9 Sep 2026

Rice, seafood and water may help explain striking differences in metal exposure across US communities

Researchers compared urinary trace-metal profiles across 666 adults from six ethnic groups in three US cohorts, with up to 19 elements measured and paired serum measurements available for the Asian Indian MASALA cohort. Distinct metal patterns emerged across populations, with the findings suggesting that diet, drinking-water sources, regional hydrogeology, urban-rural conditions, smoking, and physiological handling may all contribute to differences in exposure profiles.

8 Sep 2026

Breast milk fats may reflect more than the fats a mother eats

A cross-sectional study of 109 breastfeeding women in the Netherlands found that maternal intakes of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs and trans fats were associated with corresponding fatty acid proportions in human milk. The researchers also identified links involving dietary fiber, diet quality and several micronutrients, although whether these relationships reflect direct biological effects or broader dietary patterns remains uncertain.

26 Aug 2026

New battery-free pacemaker harvests power from every heartbeat

A team of University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers has developed an implantable, battery-free pacemaker that's charged by a patient's heartbeat.

19 Aug 2026

New AI method predicts protein metal-binding sites in seconds

With more accuracy and less time, a new deep-learning method called PRIME makes the search for metal-binding sites easier.

19 Aug 2026

A study of 60 popular Chinese teas found reassuring results and one important warning

Researchers analyzing 60 best-selling online teas in China found that concentrations of six harmful elements remained within Chinese national limits and modeled noncarcinogenic risks were below concern thresholds.

13 Aug 2026

Novel interventional approach successfully treats rare hepatic myelopathy

Hepatic myelopathy (HM) is a rare neurological complication of decompensated chronic liver disease that profoundly impairs quality of life.

28 Jul 2026

Copper isotope shows promise for early childhood anemia detection

The rising incidence of anemia and overweight has been identified as a serious public health problem worldwide, especially among children and adolescents.

21 Jul 2026

Targeted nanoparticles destroy tumor cells by triggering cuproptosis

A promising cancer treatment strategy called cuproptosis, which uses copper-dependent cell death to eliminate tumor cells, faces a major challenge: many approaches require adding external copper, potentially increasing toxicity beyond the tumor.

15 Jul 2026

Imaging technique uncovers how copper imbalance may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases

Using a groundbreaking imaging technique, a University of Houston chemist is uncovering how copper imbalances in the body may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS.

13 Jul 2026

Dutch study shows why plant-based eating can miss key nutrients

A Dutch dietary modeling study found that replacing major animal-based protein sources with plant-based substitutes reduced protein, EAA, vitamin, and mineral intake across age groups. Older adults, adolescents, children, and women were especially vulnerable to shortfalls, highlighting the need for planned substitutions, fortified foods, and age-specific dietary guidance.

3 Jul 2026

Plant-based diets offer heart benefits but may require supplements

A study reveals unsupplemented vegan diets in Northeast China lead to micronutrient deficiencies, despite benefits for body composition and cholesterol levels.

2 Jul 2026

The menstrual cycle changes heart-rate variability but not strength

Menstrual cycle phases influence heart autonomic regulation, showing HRV variations, yet muscle performance and mood states remain largely unchanged.

23 Jun 2026

New chemistry database helps speed up global drug discovery

Developing new medicines can require thousands of chemistry experiments to identify the right recipe for a safe, effective and ideally affordable drug.

22 Jun 2026

Copper-induced cell death stimulates antitumor immune cell responses

A preclinical study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, published today in Cell, details a connection between the immune system and cuproptosis, a type of copper-induced cell death.

22 Jun 2026

US adults are taking more supplements as multivitamins lose ground

A 25-year NHANES analysis of 63,442 US adults found that reported dietary supplement use rose from 51% to 60%, with the largest increases among adults aged 65 years and older. Use shifted away from multivitamin-multimineral products and toward vitamins, minerals, botanicals, and nonvitamin nonmineral supplements marketed for immune, anti-inflammatory, gut, skin, and joint health.

16 Jun 2026