Does Drinking From Aluminum Cans Cause Alzheimer’s

Does Aluminum Cause Alzheimers Disease

Lifestyle

In the 1960s and 1970s, aluminum seemed to be the prime suspect in Alzheimers disease. The media warned against products containing aluminum, and much research investigated the relationship between aluminum and the development of Alzheimers and other dementia. As with much research regarding environmental contributors to cognitive decline, the results were inconclusive. This led global organizations such as the Alzheimers Association to come out in defense of aluminum. The Alzheimers Association currently states on their website that aluminum does not cause Alzheimers disease, and specifically that it is a myth that drinking from aluminum cans or cooking with aluminum pans causes Alzheimers disease . Part of the issue with questions and statements such as these is the wording. Aluminum does not cause Alzheimers disease, but it may be one of many contributors to Alzheimers disease. Causation implies that factor A causes outcome B. Alzheimers disease is more complex than simple causation. Rather for most people, multiple contributors drive the development of Alzheimers. Environmental factors contribute to Alzheimers for many people and recent research shows that aluminum may be one of these contributors. This is why so much research on so many different theories of the cause of Alzheimers disease have led to so few effective treatments .;

Are There Exposure Limits For Aluminum

In the workplace, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists has assigned an occupational exposure limit based on respirable particle size.

The current ACGIH recommended Threshold Limit Value Time-Weighted Average exposure limit for aluminum in the air is 1 mg/m3 for aluminum metal and insoluble compounds.

Aluminum metal and insoluble compounds of respirable particle size are also categorized by ACGIH for carcinogenicity as A4 – Not classifiable as a Human Carcinogen; agents which cause concern that they could be carcinogenic for humans but which cannot be assessed conclusively because of a lack of data.

The TLV-TWA is the time-weighted average airborne concentration for a normal 8-hour workday and a 40-hour workweek to which it is believed that nearly all workers may be exposed repeatedly, day after day, without adverse health effects.

In many Canadian jurisdictions, exposure limits are the same as or similar to the ACGIH TLVs. Since the manner in which exposure limits are established, interpreted and implemented can vary, the appropriate government agency in each jurisdiction should be consulted.

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Should You Be Concerned About Aluminum Exposure

This new and previously conducted research brings with it the question, should we be concerned about aluminum? Is aluminum a major contributor to Alzheimers disease? The fact is, more research is needed to know for sure. The current state of the research shows us that a relationship exists, and that fact alone means we should pay attention to our aluminum exposure. The great news is that we can reduce our exposure to aluminum through a few very simple steps. At the Amos Institute, we recommend taking every step that you can reasonably take to reduce your environmental exposures to Alzheimers disease. We may not be able to change our genetics, but we have huge control over our environment. By taking small and simple steps to reduce aluminum exposures in your life, you will greatly reduce your overall environmental risk of developing Alzheimers disease.;

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Beware Canned Beer Can Cause Alzheimer’s

Tinned soft drink or beer carry a common hazard for you. The container walls have Aluminum , which blends with the liquid in trace and reaches your brain.

Accumulation of Al causes Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists in Lucknow have concluded in a study that Al, having similar characteristics like iron, is absorbed like other minerals through stomach and reaches brain via blood.

“Al goes to the brain and gets deposited in frontal cortex after crossing the blood brain barrier. It has been found to cause brain damage by way of neuro-toxicity,” said Prof AA Mahdi, of the Medical Elementology and Free Radical Biology Laboratory.

Apart from Prof Mandi, Kalyan Mitra of Central Drug Research Institute’s Electron Microscopy Division, Farzana Mahdi of Era’s Lucknow Medical College and Prof Mahdi Hasan, former principal of the JN Medical College, Aligarh, were also associated in the research.

The research work establishing the role of Al for Alzheimer’s disease has been published in “Brain Research,” the international multidisciplinary journal devoted to fundamental research in brain sciences.

Explaining how Al from tins reaches the brain Dr Farzana Mahdi said, cans used for keeping beverages have a thin layer of metal, which dangerously mixes with the fluid stored in. This happens during transportation or when the temperature inside can changes while it is kept in deep freezer.

The metal then enters the body with the liquid and ultimately reaches the brain, she said.

Myths About Alzheimers Disease

According to the Alzheimers Association, more than five million Americans have;Alzheimers, with someone developing the disease every 66 seconds.; While the medical world doesnt know exactly what causes Alzheimers disease, here are some myths theyve debunked!

FALSE: Exposure to aluminum causes AlzheimersThis was a popular theory in the;1960s and 1970s but numerous studies have found no evidence to support that;drinking from aluminum cans, cooking in aluminum pots and pans, or using;aluminum-containing antiperspirants cause the disease.

FALSE: Aspartame causes memory lossEven though many studies have focused;on the effect of aspartame on cognitive function, and there has;been no link found so far.

FALSE: Only older people get AlzheimersWhile it does affect mostly older;people, early-onset Alzheimers can affect those in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. It is;estimated that around 200,000 people in the U.S. younger than age 65 have;Alzheimers.

FALSE: Flu shots increase riskNot only has this one been debunked, but the;opposite may be true. A 2001 report in the Canadian Medical Journal suggested that;older adults who received flu and other vaccinations had a lower risk of developing;Alzheimers.

FALSE: Its a normal part of agingWhile it may be normal to have occasional memory problems, Alzheimers is much more than that. Read our blog here;to see how to;tell the difference between normal aging and signs of Alzheimers.

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Aluminum And Alzheimers: Is There A Connection

Like many people who come to a memory clinic, Marie wanted to know what she could do to reduce the risk of her husbands decline or at least to slow down what might be an inevitable disease progression.

One question that often comes up is whether exposure to various toxins, chemicals, pollutants, or even nutrients can contribute to memory loss. Researchers have been very interested in the possible risks of exposure to these substances in our food, water, and air. Certain occupations involve exposure to substances that can be dangerous, and Marie knew that her husbands welding job had exposed him to higher levels of metals than most people experience.

Aluminum Doesn’t Cause Cancer

The cancer claims made by the article are also false. Aluminum has never been demonstrated to have a role in cancer. Aluminum smelter workers do have a higher risk of cancer, but this is due to exposure to other chemicals, not aluminum. Aluminum is frequently the target of breast cancer scares;because of its use in antiperspirant. Studies have shown that aluminum;doesnt get absorbed through skin and no studies have found a link between aluminum and cancer.

“It’s generally concluded that there is not good evidence aluminum causes cancer,” Yokel said.

While it is true that aluminum is highly concentrated in cigarettesmoke and that aluminum absorbs more easily through lung tissue, aluminum is low down the list of harmful substances in cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke contains an array of highly cancer-causing chemicals and toxic heavy metals more toxic than aluminum. Smoke particles, on their own, are considered carcinogenic by the American Cancer Society.

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Ways To Reduce Your Exposure To Aluminum

The Relationship Between Aluminum And Alzheimers Disease

Several decades back, aluminum was first implicated in Alzheimers disease. Researchers began to highlight the relationship between this metal and the pathogenesis of Alzheimers. As a result, people became aware of the aluminum present in their deodorants, in their pots and pans, and in food and beverage containers. As mentioned above, more research looking into aluminum as the one and only cause of Alzheimers disease was conducted and led to inconclusive results. This is because many different factors contribute to Alzheimers and the factors vary from person to person. Nonetheless, the inconclusive results led to a more relaxed stance on aluminum and far less talk on the relationship between aluminum and Alzheimers disease in recent years.;

A study published last month in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease Reports again links aluminum to Alzheimers disease. Specifically, the researchers found that aluminum is intricately connected with the neuropathology of familial Alzheimers disease. The researchers stated that the data, …support the intricate associations of aluminum in the neuropathology of , of which its subsequent reduction may further therapeutic benefits observed in ongoing clinical trials in vivo . This new research is helpful because it builds on the already existing evidence that shows there are many environmental contributors to Alzheimers disease.;

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Controversial Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Factors

Aluminum

One of the most publicized and controversial theories concerns aluminum, which became a suspect in Alzheimer’s disease when researchers found traces of this metal in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Many studies since then have either not been able to confirm this finding or have had questionable results.

Aluminum does turn up in higher amounts than normal in some autopsy studies of Alzheimer’s patients, but not in all. Further doubt about the importance of aluminum stems from the possibility that the aluminum found in some studies did not all come from the brain tissues being studied. Instead, some could have come from the special substances used in the laboratory to study brain tissue.

Aluminum is a common element in the Earth’s crust and is found in small amounts in numerous household products and in many foods. As a result, there have been fears that aluminum in the diet or absorbed in other ways could be a factor in Alzheimer’s. One study found that people who used antiperspirants and antacids containing aluminum had a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Others have also reported an association between aluminum exposure and Alzheimer’s disease.

Zinc

Food-borne Poisons

Viruses

In some nervous system diseases, a virus is the culprit, lurking in the body for decades before a combination of circumstances stir it to action. For years, researchers have sought a virus or other infectious agent in Alzheimer’s disease.

The Claim: Heat Causes Aluminum To Leach Into Food And Causes Dementia Alzheimers Parkinson’s And Cancer

An undated article from a website called “Natural Beauty Secrets” that has been circulating on social media warns that cooking with aluminum allows it to leach into food and cause cancer and different neurological conditions; including dementia, Alzheimer’s and autism spectrum disorders.;

Aluminum is found in many household products, including utensils, foil,;baking powder and over-the counter medicines.;It is the most common metal and makes;up 8% of the Earths mass. Because of this, aluminum is literally everywhere, including drinking water and food. Some foods, like citrus fruits, have more aluminum than others.

Naturally occurring aluminum is rarely encountered in its metallic, elemental form. Typically, aluminum is found in the environment as aluminum salts or other compounds such as aluminum citrate. This material circulates through the environment and food web. Adults naturally have between 30-50 milligrams of aluminum in their body at any given time.;

“Analytical chemistry is sufficiently sensitive now that I’m not aware of anything that, naturally, in our environment, food, water and everything else, where it cannot be detected,” said Dr. Robert Yokel, a professor of toxicology at the University of Kentucky who studies aluminum.;

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The Metal May Play A Role In Forming The Neuron

There appears to be a troubling link between aluminum in the brain and the early signs of Alzheimers Disease, according to a new study.

Researchers have known for years that aluminum has something to do with Alzheimers, but now Keele University scientists have discovered that the metal pops up at the same places in the brain as the tangles of tau protein that appear in the early stages of the disease, according to research published last month in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease Reports. The discovery suggests that its possible that aluminum could even play a role in forming those tangles and plaques which precede the onset of Alzheimers in the first place.

The presence of these tangles is associated with neuronal cell death, and observations of aluminum in these tangles may highlight a role for aluminum in their formation, lead study author Matthew Bold said in a press release.

That doesnt mean that you need to ban aluminum cans from your home. Aluminum, perhaps introduced through food or other exposures, is commonly found in healthy brains, according to the Alzheimers Society, a dementia-focused charity based in London. But as people age, their kidneys may lose the ability to filter it out of the brain potentially leading to the Alzheimers ties uncovered in the new study.

These 4 Things Do Not Cause Alzheimers

Alzheimers myths run rampant, particularly when it comes to risk factors for the disease. Though several different behaviors and foods have been linked to a higher risk of Alzheimers disease, other supposed risk factors remain unconfirmed by scientific research.

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Elevated Brain Aluminium Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease In An Individual Occupationally Exposed To Aluminium

Date:

Keele University

Summary:

Research has shown for the first time that an individual who was exposed to aluminum at work and died of Alzheimers disease had high levels of aluminum in the brain. While aluminum is a known neurotoxin and occupational exposure to aluminum has been implicated in neurological disease, including Alzheimers disease, this finding is believed to be the first record of a direct link between Alzheimers disease and elevated brain aluminum following occupational exposure to the metal.;

Research at Keele University in Staffordshire, UK, has shown for the first time that an individual who was exposed to aluminum at work and died of Alzheimer’s disease had high levels of aluminum in the brain.

While aluminum is a known neurotoxin and occupational exposure to aluminum has been implicated in neurological disease, including Alzheimer’s disease, this finding is believed to be the first record of a direct link between Alzheimer’s disease and elevated brain aluminum following occupational exposure to the metal.

Following his death, aged 66, in 2011, a neuropathological examination confirmed advance stage Alzheimer’s disease. There then followed the most comprehensive investigation ever of the aluminum content of the frontal lobe of a single individual with 49 different tissue samples being measured for aluminum.

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Alzheimers & Aluminum Toxicity

Alzheimers disease, or senile dementia of the Alzheimers type, will be one of Americas greatest health problems in the coming years. Sixty percent of patients now admitted to nursing homes have this diagnosis and the number of Alzheimers victims is projected to increase as much as eight-fold by the middle of the next century.

There is a strong connection between aluminum and Alzheimers disease. Research clearly demonstrates abnormally high accumulations of aluminum within the brains of Alzheimers victims. Independent studies performed in Norway, the United Kingdom, France and Canada, show a direct correlation between the prevalence of Alzheimers disease and aluminum concentrations in the drinking water. One British study reported in the medical journal The Lancet, showed the risk of developing Alzheimers disease to be 50 percent greater in places where drinking water contained high levels of aluminum.

The connection between aluminum in the brain and Alzheimers Disease is so convincing that various studies are under way to explore whether aluminum in the brain can be removed, and if so, to figure if this would be beneficial for Alzheimers patients. One fascinating study also reported in The Lancet, showed that by administering desferrioxamine the progression of dementia associated with Alzheimers disease was significantly slowed.

Things to Know About Aluminum

It is also absorbed through the gut and skin.

Treated Municipal Water

Food

OTC and Prescription Drugs;

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