Copper response to rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis can be divided into two syndromes, one a potassium deficiency, the other an inappropriate copper requirement seriously affecting the elastin tissues through reduced lysyl oxidase cross linking. The malfunction in copper may arise from the steroids which regulate potassium, which reduces those steroids, and through that, increases the copper response to the needs of the immune system. It is a mechanism which may have evolved to help fight potassium wasting infections.