In recent months, copper once again caught the attention of the world for its usefulness in helping prevent transmission of SARS-coronavirus and influenza viruses. Apparently, copper is effective in reducing the transmission of several infectious disease due to its oligodynamic effect on bacteria and viruses.  

As storing water in copper vessels kills bacteria and makes your drinking water safer, embracing the Ayurvedic way of drinking copper water on the daily has plenty of benefits for you and your family to stay safe during this global pandemic. 

If you’re ready to learn more about copper water and how the Oligodynamic effect of copper benefits your health, please read on!

What Is The Oligodynamic Effect?

Drinking copper water the Ayurvedic way everyday bears plenty of health benefits, including helping our bodies make red blood cells and thus boost our immunity. The reason why copper is a great water vessel is because copper vessels such as copper water pitchers and our pure copper water dispenser positively charges the water.

On top of that, this study by the Central For Disease Control And Prevention(CDC) shows that metals such as iron and copper could be used for disinfection of water, incorporated into reusable medical devices and environmental control. 

From aiding in weight loss, strengthening your immune system to improving your digestion, copper makes a great water vessel as its oligodynamic effects adds a little something to your daily hydration.

According to this article by Shantiva, the oligodynamic effect is a natural phenomenon defined as “the ability of small amounts of heavy metals to sterilize and exert a lethal effect on bacteria cells“. This study also concludes that copper ions has a toxic effect on spores, fungi, algae, viruses, prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms.  In low concentrations, consuming water after storing them in metals such as silver and copper ensures that the water is anti-bacterial.

Modern Scientific Studies About The Oligodynamic Effects Of Copper

In fact, this recent study published in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, scientists examined the effect of storing water in a copper pot on microbially-contaminated drinking water, including harmful bacteria such as E.coli and salmonella.

The results of the contaminated water stored in the copper pots for up to 16 hours at room temperature includes the following:

• The scientists were unable to recover any bacteria from the water
• The water’s pH levels had increased, which means it has become alkaline
• Natural alkaline water yields plenty of health benefits as you can see here

In yet another study, scientists have concluded that “water could be safely stored in a copper vessel for 12 hr and 24 h” to disinfect harvested rain water of coli-form, a type of bacteria harmful to our health.

So what does this mean? Essentially, modern scientific studies support the health benefits as well as the safety of treating and storing water in copper vessels! 

How Does The Oligodynamic Effect Work? 

This recent study about killing of enteric bacteria in drinking water by a copper device for use in the homeexamined the best way to remove biological contamination from drinking water in a variety of water pitchers made from copper, silver, plastic and clay.

The results from the study show that copper pitcher was the most effective at removing bacteria in the water. In fact, there was significant inhibitory effect on bacteria after storing water in a copper pitcher for a few hours. 

So, how does the oligodynamic effect actually work?

While modern science does not yet fully understand exactly how copper has this unique antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, studies like this one suggest that copper ions inactivate and destroy bacteria by affecting the protein in the bacteria’s cell walls. This inadvertently causes membrane damage in bacteria, therefore impeding its growth and multiplication. 

How Safe Is The Consumption Of Copper Water?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) in drinking water is 1.3 milligrams per liter, which is based on the assumption of a lifetime of consuming copper water without adverse gastrointestinal effects.

On top of that, the scientists have determined in this study that the copper content of the water stored overnight in copper pots was less than 0.2 ppm(parts per million), which is an amount far less than World Health Organization (“WHO”)’s guideline of 2.0 mg ppm copper in water as safe drinking water. 

Final Takeaway

In conclusion, copper is an effective and economical solution to remove microbes and harmful bacteria from your daily drinking water due to its oligodynamic effect. As copper is also an important mineral the human body needs to function optimally, drinking copper water on the daily also ensures that you are incorporating enough copper into your diet.