The use of copper for medicinal purposed is found throughout recorded history. The world's oldest medical texts, the Eber Papyrus, state, "Treat inflammation with pulverized copper". Today, thousands of years later, pharmacies around the world offer copper bracelets as a safe first aid for joint pains.
A clinical study of the use of copper bracelets on arthritis patients reported positive effects in most cases. One other serious clinical trial of copper bracelets, by the Mayo Clinic, found that they were effective in about three quarters of the cases of musculoskeletal pain. That is roughly equivalent to the rate of the effectiveness of standard drugs used to treat arthritis and other musculoskeletal pain disorders.
Copper is an important human trace element. In humans, copper plays a role in over 30 enzymes. These enzymes keep copper and iron from creating oxygen radicals. Except for the rare genetic disorder of Wilson's disease, that causes a copper overload, humans can store and use a large amount of copper without any harmful effects. Though oral intake of some copper compounds can cause nausea and vomiting and significant overdoses can cause a range of damaging effects, including hepatomegaly and cirrhosis of the liver. Copper is abundant in a variety of foods, including legumes, nuts, seeds and shellfish.
People that use copper bracelets claim that they decrease the pain of arthritis, improves their golf and tennis swings, decreases their lower back pain, provides them more energy and protects them against osteoporosis.