Tata Copper water triggers debate over possible toxicity. What Apollo Hospitals' doctor said

Tata Copper+has 0.06 mg of copper per 100 mL. The maximum tolerable limit of copper in adults is 10000 mcg (10 mg) per day, Dr Sudhir Kumar, neurologist at Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad, said.

The recently released Tata Copper+ water claims to have as much copper as water stored in a copper vessel overnight, but its launch has triggered a discussion on social media about its possible health hazards because of the presence of copper sulphate. A doctor from Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad and social media influencer has, however, come forward to clarify that the packaged drinking water is not unhealthy, and can not lead to adverse effects on health. He also pointed out that water is unlikely to have any additional health benefits.

Neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar took to X on Sunday and said that the best way to add copper to the body is to either have food items that naturally have copper in it or to store water in copper vessels.

"The amount of copper in Tata Copper+ is too small to be toxic. The maximum tolerable limit of copper in adults is 10000 mcg (10 mg) per day. To exceed this limit, one has to consume 17 liters of TATA Copper+ water (which is impossible)," he said. Tata Copper+has 0.06 mg of copper per 100 mL, so 0.6 mg (600 mcg) in one litre of water, the doctor added.

The mineral is used by our bodies to carry out many important functions, such as making energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels. It also helps maintain the nervous and immune systems and activates genes. Copper also helps in brain development.

Dr Sudhir also highlighted that our Indian diets are usually rich in copper. "The richest dietary copper sources include shellfish, seeds and nuts, organ meats, wheat-bran cereals, whole-grain products, and chocolate. Most of us get more than the recommended amount of copper from food sources. Therefore, copper deficiency is uncommon in humans," he said.

To conclude, Dr Sudhir said that it is always a better option to store water in copper, steel, or glass bottles than plastic or PET bottles.