Empedocles, the ancient Greek philosopher and physician, reportedly wore copper sandals and said he never had foot pain.
Centuries later, the famed Eastern physician Ibn Sina, in his Canon of Medicine, recommended copper powder for broken bones and copper plates for wounds and ulcers. For a long time, mainstream science dismissed those claims, assuming copper was abundant in most diets. But could copper actually be necessary as a medicine? Everything changed in 1964 when doctors reported the first case of copper deficiency. It soon became clear there was a significant gap between how much copper people consumed, the body’s needs, and the body’s ability to use the metal. Copper deficiency often comes from poor nutrition, impaired intestinal absorption, or prolonged diarrhea. Increased radiation exposure also raises the body’s need for copper. Meanwhile, dietary copper intake for adults and children is often below the recommended level (2–3 mg per kg of body weight per day).
But it’s not just about quantity; quality matters too. The brain and liver need higher amounts of copper.
That may be why the physiologist V. R. Raitses called the brain a “true copper depot.”
Do you have a headache? Try a small experiment. Take two old coins (they should be pure metal, not an alloy), slightly moisten them, and press them against your temples. If your discomfort is linked to a copper shortage, the coins may stick to your skin. After a while they might fall away, leaving bluish or almost black circular marks on your temples—and the headache can disappear. If the headache has another cause, the coins won’t stick.
Professor V. I. Smolyar warns that copper deficiency can lead to anemia, reduced enzyme activity, hair defects, central nervous system disorders, problems with bone formation and growth, altered cardiovascular function, myocardial atrophy and fibrosis, ruptured blood vessels, and in extreme cases, sudden death.
Modern homeopaths say a lack of copper can cause many types of seizures. In treatment they use metallic, sulfuric, acetic, and arsenic forms of copper.
French homeopaths list around 20 remedies that include this metal.
Now, about copper bracelets. They aren’t new. Observers have long noticed that copper miners or people who wear copper items—like a cross—seem less likely to suffer cholera. In Syria and Egypt, newborns are often given copper bracelets to prevent epilepsy and rickets. Interest in therapeutic copper jewelry is growing here as well. Unfortunately, scientific research on the topic is scarce and fragmented.
I agree with homeopathic physician T.D. Popova, author of Essays on Homeopathy, who says reactions to copper jewelry vary widely: some people report relief from heart pain, better sleep, and greater emotional comfort, while others feel irritability, anxiety, or restlessness. Despite that inconsistency, people with neurasthenia, psychasthenia, heart neuroses, or emotional stress—and those doing intense mental work—might try copper bracelets.
You can test a bracelet’s effect yourself. There’s a phenomenon called the “sticking effect.” If the copper item adheres to the skin and a green or blue stripe appears underneath, proponents take that as a positive sign. If there’s no sticking effect and you feel worse, remove the bracelet. For those who benefit, follow some simple practical guidelines.
A copper bracelet should weigh about 150–200 grams—no heavier than a wristwatch with a strap. Wear it continuously on the right wrist, removing it only to bathe. If it’s uncomfortable, take it off at night. Don’t wipe away the dark stripe under the bracelet; it will fade and reappear on its own. According to proponents, this is how the body replenishes its copper reserves through the skin.
