The 8 Pros and Cons of Copper Water Bottles

Written by Delight Jar in Water Bottle Advice,Water Bottles

There seems to be some conflicting information out there about modern copper water bottles for sale.

Many people simply do not know what to believe when it comes to the pros and cons of copper water bottles.

Do you? Some sources going back to around 2013 say that there is not enough evidence to support claims that copper water bottles are good for your health.

Others from 2015 clearly state that drinking a certain amount of water that has been stored in a copper container is good for your health.

What is the truth right now, in 2019? Are copper water bottles good or bad?

Is there a certain type of copper water bottle that is better than another?

What are the pros and cons of copper water bottles?

We took the time to find out the good, the bad, and the ugly (or the awesome) about copper water bottles.

The pros and cons of copper water bottles can be broken down as follows:

– Pros: Copper as a material is known to continuously kill viruses, yeast, and bacteria on contact. It is noted that drinking water stored in copper water bottles can:

  • Beat anemia.
  • Reduce risk of cancer and heart disease.
  • Improve skin health.
  • Slow down effects of aging.
  • Aid in arthritis management.
  • Reduce chance of infection.
  • Assist with weight loss.

– Cons: Copper infused water can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea if consumed in high concentrations. The human body can safely consume 2mg of copper per liter of water (no more than 4 cups) per day.

The Best Copper Water Bottles I Found

After I did some research on the topic and combined with the sudden interest of my close friends, I decided to create this list of the best copper water bottles. Let’s take a look at what makes a copper bottle a good.

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Or check my buying guide for this copper water bottle here

It is interesting to note that when used incorrectly, copper water bottles can be bad for your health. Also, the quality of the copper water bottle must also come under scrutiny when determining just how good or bad it is for you.

When a good quality bottle is used, and only the prescribed or recommended daily dose of copper stored water is consumed, it can be absolutely safe (even good) for your health.

The degree to which it can be beneficial to your health in a big way is debatable. In fact, health experts argue the points regularly.

It’s interesting to take note of how different reusable water bottles compare to each other and copper is certainly a worthy contender if you are looking to get a new, healthy water bottle.

If you have been looking into the health benefits and possible negative health impact of copper bottles, there’s a lot to think about and consider. 

To learn more about these pros and cons of copper water bottles and how to ensure that you never get copper poisoning from your bottle, read on.copper water bottle and the copper glass

copper water bottle and the copper glass

The Pros of Copper Water Bottles

Should you get a new copper water bottle? Is it the right choice for you or are there safety options on the market.

It’s hard to make a decision without knowing more about the product, but there must be a reason (or a few reasons) why so many people are buying these bottles, right? The truth of the matter is that copper waters do in deed have a variety of health benefits to offer.

Let’s first take a look at why/how copper water bottles can be good for your health. While the health claims out there are not false, it is good to be realistic in your view of how good or bad a copper bottle can be for you.

First and foremost, copper is essential to human health – there is no denying that. In fact, humans need around 900 micrograms of copper per day, but we usually get this from our food intake.

What food sources do you get your daily copper intake from? You get copper from the likes of whole grains, mushrooms, cashew nuts, almonds, beef liver and even oysters.

That does not mean that copper infused water plays no role. It just means that it is not essential to have a copper water bottle just to acquire your daily recommended dose of copper, but it can still be beneficial to your health.

Been wondering if a stainless steel water bottle is the right option for you? Read more this pros and cons list article The Pros and Cons of Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Vintage copper kitchenware - coffee pots and jars display at the market

Some vintage copper kitchenware – coffee pots and jars

Something that we know for sure is that copper is an element that helps the human body absorb iron effectively. It also said to: assist in cell growth, help the body maintain its collagen levels and boost the basic functioning of the brain.

​When paired with other enzymes, it can help to form a fairly effective anti-oxidant. It is not a magic wand that wipes out disease and cleanses the entire system, but can be beneficial to your health when consumed in small quantities.

Unfortunately many companies selling copper water bottles tout it as a magic wand or miracle cure to a multitude of ailments – that is just not the case.

What happens when you store water overnight in a copper water bottle? 

Oligodynamic effect takes place when water is stored for several hours in a copper container. This is when ions dissolve and become infused in the water; thus the reference to “copper-infused water”.  

While this happens, bacteria are killed, but that is not all. The dissolved ions in the water aid in digestion, help reduce inflammation, and boost the immune system functioning.

As a known antioxidant, it can also reduce the negative impact of free radicals in the body and that is never a bad thing.

Some sources even state that copper can improve the intensity of your tan. It is believed that copper is an important part of the melanin production process in the body. Melanin is what turns your skin darker when you suntan. The concept is that the more copper you consume, the better and darker your tan will be.

If you’ve only used disposable bottles until now or you have a reusable bottle without a filter, we think it’s time to make a switch. We discuss bacteria-filtering water bottles in depth on this article Do You Need a Bacteria-Filtering Water Bottle?

2 Kettles Copper Vintage

2 Kettles Copper Vintage

If you do a bit of research, you will find that the following pros/benefits of copper water bottles are well advertised and claimed online:

  • Copper helps beat anemia.

    Copper is known to help improve iron absorption in the body. People who suffer anemia have extremely low iron levels and it is often not very easy to get the right amount of iron from daily meals. Taking iron supplements is also often not sufficient to boost the iron levels in the body as the body doesn’t always absorb the full quantity of iron taken. The body needs copper to be able to absorb iron. When copper is taken along with iron, it helps the body absorb the iron, thus helping fix anemia.

  • Copper reduces the risk of cancer.

    Have you heard of free radicals? These are cells in the body that can wreak havoc with your health. In fact, they aid in the development of cancer in the human body. According to the Cancer Association, free radicals cause damage to cells (including DNA), which is one of the reasons people develop cancer and various other health problems. By negating the impact of free radicals on cells, copper is able to reduce the risk of cancer in individuals. For this reason, many people supplement with copper as a way to keep cancers at bay.

  • Copper minimizes the risk of heart disease.

    When a person has a high blood pressure and high cholesterol, their risk of developing heart disease is greatly increased. In some instances, copper is prescribed to help keep heart disease risk low. Copper is known to regulate blood pressure as well as lower cholesterol. In this way, copper intake is known to assist with minimizing the risk of an individual developing heart disease.

  • Copper improves skin health.

    It is said that copper assists the body with renewing and producing new skin cells. When copper levels are healthy, skin health is easily replenished. This improves the overall health and condition of the skin.

  • Copper slows down the effects of aging.

    Copper can’t give you eternal youth, but it can delay the visible effects of aging. If you have been looking for a cure for fine lines and wrinkles, copper might be it. Some believe it is a magic cure, but it should form part of a good diet and healthy skincare regime. Copper is said to slow down the visible signs of aging by eliminating free radicals in the body. Antioxidants, which clear free radicals, are commonly known to assist in helping people maintain a youthful appearance. 

  • Copper aids in arthritis management.

    Arthritis is a painful disease that is aggravated by inflammation in the joints. Copper is known to naturally reduce inflammation in the body, including the joints. Because of this, many believe that copper can assist with reducing the pain and discomfort experienced by arthritis sufferers. Some arthritis sufferers already use copper bangles and supplements to assist in pain management.

  • Copper reduces chance of infection.

    Ever worried that you might pick up an infection from the water stored in your water bottle? Some say that with a copper water bottle, this won’t be possible. Copper is fairly effective in killing bacteria and is commonly turned to when E.coli and S.aureus are suspected. Many believe that drinking copper-infused water reduces the chance of infection by these bacteria and others.

  • Copper assists with weight loss.

    Copper cannot make you shed kilos overnight, but many believe that it can aid in the process of a balanced, long-term weight management program. How does it work? Metabolism and digestive processing can either aid or hinder your mission to lose weight. Copper is known to aid in digestive processes and spur on the functionality of the metabolism, thus aiding in weight loss at the same time.

While these are not wild claims, there is really no hard scientific evidence to prove that drinking water from a copper water bottle can guarantee these positive outcomes. That being said, there are many people who own a copper water bottle that back up these claims and have full faith in the positive benefits it offers them

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Alternative water bottles option that don’t cost or weigh as much as this copper water bottle is available on the market, on of them is aluminum. I have write about it’s benefit and health risk on this article Should You Drink from Aluminum Water Bottles? The Benefits and Health Risks

copper flask water bottle on a concrete

Copper Flask Water Bottle

The Cons of Copper Water Bottles

Now, let’s discuss the potential negative impact of copper water bottles. You have seen all the shiny new copper water bottles hitting the market and read all the rave reviews.

Now you are wondering if you should ditch your old throw-away bottles and invest in a reusable copper bottle. If you are making this choice for the environment, you are on to a much wiser decision – plastic water bottles are merely adding to the plastic problem faced by the world. 

That being said, are there any cons to expect when using a copper water bottle? Let’s dig a little deeper into what’s being said about copper water bottles in order to find out.

In the media, copper water bottles have got mixed reactions. Some publications have sung the praises of these water bottles while others have shared grave warnings of the potential dangers.

The New York Post actually released an interesting article warning of the negative health impact of copper water bottles, which surprised many people. 

This post claimed that in some US states, bars and restaurants were warned against serving drinks in copper cups and mugs, especially when lime (or lemon) was involved.

What’s the danger of popping some lime into a drink served in a copper cup/mug? Here is where it gets interesting. Apparently the acid content in the lime can cause the copper container to leach copper into the liquid which thus causes problems like diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

In essence, it is the copper leaching into your drink that is poisoning you. That may be so and it must be noted that purchasing a plain copper bottle and storing your water in it might not be the best idea.

However, there are copper water bottles on the market that are designed to deter copper leaching and therefore do not fall into this dangerous category. Not all water bottles are made equal and it is important to be selective when buying any new product that is going to come into contact with your food stuffs. You might check some of the products I found on this article The Best Copper Water Bottles (The Buying Guide)

The ‘safe’ copper water bottles are lined with the likes of nickel or stainless steel, which are absolutely safe to store water and other liquids in. When copper bottles are lined with nickel or stainless steel, you really do not have to worry about copper consumption at all as the copper cannot leach into the liquid at all.  

That being said, it is also important to know that while excess copper consumption can be dangerous to your health, copper poisoning is quite rare. 

It is safe to say that when it comes to copper water bottles, they are not entirely good and they also are not entirely bad – now that is an interesting way to look at it, isn’t it? Whether you get a copper water bottle or not will depend on your personal preferences and how much water you drink on a daily basis.

Pouring water from copper jar to a clay cup

Pouring water from copper jar to a clay cup

How Much Copper Bottled Water Can I Drink?

You might be wondering how much water you can drink that has been stored in your copper water bottle. Is there a limit each day or can you drink as much as you want? Many undoubtedly want to know the very same thing.

To be on the safe side, it is important to ensure that you never consume more than the limit of 2mg of copper per liter of water. You shouldn’t need to worry though, as it is doubtful that a modern copper water bottle will absorb more or even similar amounts to that. 

When you store water in a copper bottle, you can expect it to absorb far less than that. In fact, some sources say as little as a twentieth of 2mg per liter of water is absorbed into the stored water.

To be safe, stick to around 4 cups of water that has been stored in a copper water bottle overnight. Most people aim for 8 glasses of water per day. Whether or not your copper water bottle is sufficient for your daily intake and whether or not you want more than one water bottle for each day is up to you.  

Due to the acidic reaction of lime and lemon with copper, avoid popping lemon juice or a slice of lime into your copper water bottle.

cold drink in copper mug on the table

cold drink in copper mug on the table

Conclusion

In conclusion; is the copper water bottle good or bad for your overall health? What are the pros and cons? Do the pros outweigh the cons? It appears as if the pros and cons are negligible. One would need to ensure that they use their copper bottle as prescribed and actually choose one that is considered “safe”.

Using a copper water bottle undoubtedly has a few health benefits to offer and unless you are drinking every glass of water from a plain unlined copper water bottle all day and all night, there is no real reason to fear negative health effects.

There is no reason you should exclude yourself from owning one of the new shiny copper water bottles that seem to be hitting the market. If you want to avoid the potential negatives of copper water bottles all together, consider the likes of a stainless steel or silicone water bottle. Here is the article for the stainless The Pros and Cons of Stainless Steel Water Bottles and silicone What Are Collapsible Water Bottles Made Of (And Are They Safe?)

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