Does Aluminum Contamination Cause Alzheimer’s Disease?

Written by Andy Rowlands on June 1, 2020. Posted in Current News

There is speculation of a link between higher levels of aluminum (aluminium) in our bodies and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Note the American spelling of aluminium in these articles, which they pronounce ‘aloominum’. Below we cover some of the more recent studies on the topic.

In 2011, the PubMed website published an article, of which the abstract states:

The brain is a highly compartmentalized organ exceptionally susceptible to accumulation of metabolic errors. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease of the elderly and is characterized by regional specificity of neural aberrations associated with higher cognitive functions. Aluminum (Al) is the most abundant neurotoxic metal on earth, widely bioavailable to humans and repeatedly shown to accumulate in AD-susceptible neuronal foci. In spite of this, the role of Al in AD has been heavily disputed based on the following claims: 1) bioavailable Al cannot enter the brain in sufficient amounts to cause damage, 2) excess Al is efficiently excreted from the body, and 3) Al accumulation in neurons is a consequence rather than a cause of neuronal loss. Research, however, reveals that: 1) very small amounts of Al are needed to produce neurotoxicity and this criterion is satisfied through dietary Al intake, 2) Al sequesters different transport mechanisms to actively traverse brain barriers, 3) incremental acquisition of small amounts of Al over a lifetime favors its selective accumulation in brain tissues, and 4) since 1911, experimental evidence has repeatedly demonstrated that chronic Al intoxication reproduces neuropathological hallmarks of AD. Misconceptions about Al bioavailability may have misled scientists regarding the significance of Al in the pathogenesis of AD. The hypothesis that Al significantly contributes to AD is built upon very solid experimental evidence and should not be dismissed. Immediate steps should be taken to lessen human exposure to Al, which may be the single most aggravating and avoidable factor related to AD. (Emphasis added)  [1]

In March 2018, the website alzdiscovery published an article, and I quote parts of it here:-

Aluminum is an element abundantly present in the earth. It occurs naturally in food and water and is widely used in products ranging from cans and cookware to medications and cosmetics. Some observational studies suggested a link between brain levels of aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease. Since the association was found, many studies have investigated whether aluminum increases the risk for Alzheimer’s. The findings are far from clear.

Several meta-analyses examined the association between aluminum levels in drinking water and dementia risk, and the evidence is mixed and inconclusive. The only high-quality study involved almost 4,000 older adults in southwest France (the PAQUID study). It found that levels of aluminum consumption in drinking water in excess of 0.1 mg/day were associated with a doubling of dementia risk and a 3-fold increase in Alzheimer’s risk. For reference, the 2016 NYC Drinking Water Quality Report states that the concentration of aluminum in NYC drinking water ranged from 0.006-0.057 mg/liter (average, 0.02 mg/liter). Of the remaining 13 moderate quality studies, 6 found an association between higher aluminum levels in drinking water and increased dementia risk, 4 found no associations, and 1 found a protective effect of higher soil levels of aluminum.

Some antacids contain high levels of aluminum, as aluminum hydroxide reduces stomach acidity. Among medications, antacids and anti-ulceratives contain the highest levels of aluminum…. A very large meta-analysis of 9 observational studies including more than 6,000 people reported that regular antacid use was not associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Even when the analysis was confined to people who used antacids regularly for over 6 months, there was no association with Alzheimer’s.

Studies show that aluminum salts in antiperspirants are poorly absorbed by the body, and the little that is absorbed is flushed out by the kidneys. However, if you regularly shave with a razor, aluminum may be more readily absorbed via small nicks and abrasions.

A meta-analysis of 3 observational studies including more than 1,000 people reported that occupational aluminum dust exposure was not associated with Alzheimer’s. However, further studies that precisely ascertain aluminum exposure are needed. In a more recent 2016 meta-analysis including 4 studies, the relationship between aluminum exposure and dementia was mixed due to the studies being too small.

The article concludes by saying:-

There is no consistent or compelling evidence to associate aluminum with Alzheimer’s disease. Although a few studies have found associations between aluminum levels and Alzheimer’s risk, many others found no such associations. Due to the inconclusive nature of the findings, it may be advisable to limit excessive exposure. (Emphasis added)  [2]

It is unclear whether this was intended to mean limiting excessive exposure to aluminium, or limit the distribution of the article to avoid yet another panic reaction from the public.

In an undated article on the Alzheimer’s Society website, it mentions metals such as copper, zinc, iron and aluminium, but for the purposes of this article, we are only looking at aluminium. The article says in part:-

At present, there is no strong evidence to support the fears that coming in to contact with metals through using equipment or through food or water increases your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

However, there are many other metals that are present naturally in the brain.

The current research shows that there is likely to be a relationship between naturally-occurring metals and the development or progression of Alzheimer’s disease. But the evidence doesn’t yet show whether this relationship actually causes Alzheimer’s disease. (Emphasis added)

It is also unclear whether reducing metals in the brain via drugs or reducing our exposure would have any effect. These metals are essential to the healthy function of our brain, so further research into changes before or during disease development is also necessary to understand if reducing the amount in the brain would actually be beneficial.

Along with these essential metals, there are other metals that we are exposed to through things such as food.

The body is able to tolerate these metals in small amounts by clearing through the kidneys. These include aluminium and lead, for example it has been shown that if they are not taken out by the kidneys through organ failure or by exposure to extremely high doses these metals are able to deposit in the brain.

These metals are known to cause negative effects in the brain and have been implicated in several neurological conditions.

It should be noted that the article does not say which neurological conditions.

It continues:-

In 1965, researchers found that rabbits injected with an extremely high dose of aluminium developed toxic tau tangles in their brains. This led to speculation that aluminium from cans, cookware, processed foods and even the water supply could be causing dementia…

Importantly, these results were only seen with extremely high exposures that far exceed the levels that can enter the body through food or potentially through contact with aluminium cookware. (Emphasis added)

Since this study was reported, much research has been done on the relationship of aluminium and Alzheimer’s disease. As yet no study or group of studies has been able to confirm that aluminium is involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Aluminium is seen in the normal, healthy brain. It is not clear how aluminium is getting into the brain from the blood. The levels currently seen in peoples brains hasn’t been shown to be toxic but an ageing brain may be less able to process the aluminium. Although aluminium has been seen in amyloid plaques there is no solid evidence that aluminium is increased in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. No convincing relationship between amount of exposure or aluminium in the body and the development of Alzheimer’s disease has been established. (Emphasis added)

Aluminium in food and drink is in a form that is not easily absorbed in to the body. Hence the amount taken up is less than 1{154653b9ea5f83bbbf00f55de12e21cba2da5b4b158a426ee0e27ae0c1b44117} of the amount present in food and drink. Most of the aluminium taken into the body is cleaned out by the kidneys. Studies of people who were treated with contaminated dialysis have shown an increase in the amount of aluminium in the brain. This was believed to be as a result of inadequately monitored dialysis which then led to encephalopathy related dementia. Methods of dialysis have since been improved and doctors are better able to predict and prevent this form of dementia.

One large recent study did find a potential role for high dose aluminium in drinking water in progressing Alzheimer’s disease for people who already have the disease. (Author’s note: there is no link in the study to this article)

However, multiple other small and large scale studies have failed to find a convincing causal association between aluminium exposure in humans and Alzheimer’s disease. (Emphasis added)  [3]

In December 2016, the Mail Online website carried an article claiming aluminium does cause Alzheimer’s disease. I quote:-

A link between aluminium and Alzheimer’s disease has long existed. But many scientists say there is not enough evidence to blame the metal, used by thousands for everyday purposes to cook and store food. However, Professor Chris Exley, from Keele University, says his latest research confirms it does indeed play a role in cognitive decline.

There has been a strong link between human exposure to aluminium and the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease for half a century or more. However, without definite proof, there is still no consensus in the scientific community about the role of this known neurotoxin in this devastating brain disease.

The latest research from my group, published in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, makes this link even more compelling. In my view, the findings are unequivocal in their confirmation of a role for aluminium in some if not all Alzheimer’s disease. At the very least, these new results should encourage everyone and even those who have steadfastly maintained that aluminium has no role in the disease to think again. (Emphasis added)

I don’t believe that is the only factor, but I think it is an important one which should be considered very seriously. When our new results are put into the context of what is already known about aluminium and Alzheimer’s disease their significance becomes overwhelming and compelling.

We already know that the aluminium content of brain tissue in late-onset or sporadic Alzheimer’s disease is significantly higher than is found in age-matched controls. So, individuals who develop Alzheimer’s disease in their late sixties and older also accumulate more aluminium in their brain tissue than individuals of the same age without the disease.

Even higher levels of aluminium have been found in the brains of individuals, diagnosed with an early-onset form of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, who have experienced an unusually high exposure to aluminium through the environment or through their workplace.

(Author’s note: no link to this research is provided in the article)

This means that Alzheimer’s disease has a much earlier age of onset, for example, fifties or early sixties, in individuals who have been exposed to unusually high levels of aluminium in their everyday lives. We now show that some of the highest levels of aluminium ever measured in human brain tissue are found in individuals who have died with a diagnosis of familial Alzheimer’s disease.

The levels of aluminium in brain tissue from individuals with familial Alzheimer’s disease are similar to those recorded in individuals who died of an aluminium-induced encephalopathy while undergoing renal dialysis. In support of our quantitative data, we have also used a recently developed and fully validated method of fluorescence microscopy to provide stunning and unequivocal images of aluminium in brain tissue from familial Alzheimer’s disease donors.

Familial Alzheimer’s disease is an early-onset form of the disease with first symptoms occurring as early as 30 or 40 years of age. It is extremely rare, perhaps 2-3 per cent of all cases of Alzheimer’s disease. Its bases are genetic mutations associated with a protein called amyloid-beta, a protein which has been heavily linked with the cause of all forms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Individuals with familial Alzheimer’s disease produce more amyloid beta and the onset of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are much earlier in life. This new research may suggest that these genetic predispositions to early onset Alzheimer’s disease are linked in some way to the accumulation of aluminium in brain tissue. (Emphasis added)

Ageing is the main risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and aluminium accumulates in human brain tissue with ageing. Environmental or occupational exposure to aluminium results in higher levels of aluminium in human brain tissue and an early onset form of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. The genetic predispositions which are used to define familial or early-onset Alzheimer’s disease also predispose individuals to higher levels of brain aluminium at a much younger age.

Aluminium is accepted as a known neurotoxin, for example being the cause of dialysis encephalopathy, and its accumulation in human brain tissue at any age can only contribute to any ongoing disease state or toxicity. We should take all possible precautions to reduce the accumulation of aluminium in our brain tissue through our everyday activities and we should start to do this as early in our lives as possible.  [4]

It should be noted the article headline states there is proof, while the article itself says there may be a connection.

In August 2018, the Canadian Alzheimer’s Society website carried an article from which I took these quotes:-

We usually think of aluminum as a light silvery metal used to make pots and pans, airplanes or tools, but it also has a non-metallic form. This form of aluminum makes up eight per cent of the earth’s surface. Aluminum in small amounts is referred to as ”trace elements,“ and are found in our environment and in our bodies. These amounts are “normal” and are not harmful.

Because these trace elements are present in the earth, they occur naturally in the foods we eat, in our drinking water and are even added to the water treatment process in some municipalities. Trace elements of aluminum may also be found in:

Many processed foods

Cosmetics and personal hygiene products, such as deodorants and nasal sprays

Some drugs in order to make them more effective or less irritating

The air we breathe from dry soil, cigarette smoke, pesticide sprays and aluminum-based paint.

Aluminum is present in the body, but its role is not fully understood. Very little of the aluminum taken in by a healthy individual is actually absorbed; most of it is flushed out by the kidneys. (Emphasis added)

Aluminum has been studied for over 40 years as a substance that might be linked to dementia. However, there have been many conflicting findings.

Some studies show increased levels of trace elements of aluminum in the brains of people with dementia, while others do not.

Studies have not found an increased incidence of dementia in people with occupational exposure to aluminum. (Emphasis added)

Tea is one of the few plants whose leaves accumulate larger trace element amounts of aluminum that can seep into the brewed beverage. However, there is no evidence that dementia is more prevalent in cultures that typically drink large amounts of tea. (Emphasis added)

Unfortunately, earlier animal studies focused on one animal that is particularly susceptible to aluminum poisoning, which has led to incorrect conclusions about the general effects of aluminum on the body. (Author’s note: which animal is referred to is not mentioned in the article)

It would be difficult to significantly reduce exposure to aluminum simply by avoiding the use of aluminum cookware, foil, beverage cans and other products. Use of aluminum in pots and pans only contributes to a very small percentage of the average person’s intake of aluminum.

Current research provides no convincing evidence that exposure to trace elements of aluminum is connected to the development of dementia.  [5]

An undated article on the Dementia Australia website comes to much the same conclusions. [6]

While a June 2019 article on the USNews website says much the same. [7]

Many kitchen pots and pans are made of aluminium, and with the inevitable scraping by utensils, most people will have ingested small quantities of aluminium. Whether this has a cumulative effect appears inconclusive.

One of my hobbies is restoring old railway locomotives, and during that I have come into contact with aluminium electrical conduits that needed repair or replacement. This involved cutting, grinding and threading of conduit, so I will have breathed in aluminium dust. Whether this will have any adverse effect on my future mental health only time will tell.

The best I think we can say at the moment is while there is what might termed ‘circumstantial evidence’, there appears to be nothing that can be proven at this point.

At Principia Scientific International we endeavor to keep apace of the latest research. If readers have other useful sources, please feel free to share in the comments section below.

[1] see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21157018/

[2] see: https://www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/is-there-a-link-between-aluminum-and-alzheimers

[3] see: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/risk-factors-and-prevention/metals-and-dementia

[4] see: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4047426/Aluminium-DOES-cause-Alzheimer-s-Expert-says-new-findings-confirm-metal-devastating-brain-disease.html

[5] see: https://alzheimer.ca/en/Home/About-dementia/Alzheimer-s-disease/Risk-factors/Aluminum

[6] https://www.dementia.org.au/files/helpsheets/Helpsheet-DementiaQandA19-Aluminium_english.pdf

[7] https://health.usnews.com/conditions/alzheimers/articles/is-there-a-connection-between-aluminum-and-alzheimers-disease

About the author: Andy Rowlands is a regular contributor to Principia Scientific International; a British independent researcher and writer and assistant editor of the game-changing new climate science book, The Sky Dragon Slayers: Victory Lap.

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