[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/04\/copper-cups-benefits-risks\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/04\/copper-cups-benefits-risks\/","headline":"How Do Copper Cups Affect Your Health?","name":"How Do Copper Cups Affect Your Health?","description":"Experts at UPMC say drinking fluids from a copper cup offers no real health benefits, though use of these cups isn\u2019t necessarily harmful, either.\r\n","datePublished":"2016-04-22","dateModified":"2019-08-29","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/poison-center","name":"Pittsburgh Poison Center","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/poison-center","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/poison-center\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Copper-Cups.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Copper-Cups.jpg","height":327,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/04\/copper-cups-benefits-risks\/","about":["Living and Wellness","Safety"],"wordCount":284,"articleBody":"Soothing digestion. Fighting cancer. Slowing the effects of aging. Drinking water from a copper cup has a transformative effect on your body, according to new health claims.But do those claims actually hold up?For more, visit the Pittsburgh Poison Center webpage.Experts at UPMC say drinking fluids from a copper cup offers no real health benefits, though use of these cups isn\u2019t necessarily harmful, either.\u201cThere\u2019s probably no real health benefit or risk from drinking from a copper cup,\u201d said\u00a0Michael Lynch, MD, medical director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center.Proponents of the new health fad say drinking water from a copper cup or mug can reduce inflammation, aid in thyroid function, regulate blood pressure, and even boost weight loss.\u201cMost of these cups are sealed on the inside, so there\u2019s no real exposure to the copper,\u201d Dr. Lynch said.These claims may stem from the known benefits of the mineral copper. Studies have shown that leaving water in a copper vessel kills off bacteria, Lynch said.\u00a0But there\u2019s no evidence to link the tableware to weight loss, anti-aging, or bolstered brain function.Dr. Lynch said excessive exposure to copper, which would most likely occur after ingesting powder copper in an occupational or industrial hazard,\u00a0can lead to a variety of gastrointestinal issues, including internal bleeding and vomiting, as well as neurological problems. But this type of exposure is rare, he said.Most people need a small amount of copper in their diet, and they get it from foods like almonds, legumes, and whole grains \u2014 no need to break out your favorite Moscow mule mug.\u201cThey\u2019re safe to use,\u201d Lynch said. \u201cBut there\u2019s probably no benefit.\u201d "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2016","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"04","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/\/04\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How Do Copper Cups Affect Your Health?","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/04\/copper-cups-benefits-risks\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]