Could aluminum exposure increase the chances of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis?
That’s the correlation at the heart of a new study published in the Jan. 13 Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
SciTechDaily reports that researchers found “significant” amounts of aluminum content in brain tissue from donors with familial Alzheimer’s.
In addition, the study uncovered an “unequivocal association” between the location of aluminum and amyloid-beta protein, which leads to early onset of Alzheimer’s, said lead investigator Christopher Exley, PhD, Birchall Centre, Lennard-Jones Laboratories, Keele University, Staffordshire, UK.
Exley went on to make a bold statement: “Within the normal lifespan of humans, there would not be any Alzheimer’s disease if there were no aluminum in the brain tissue. No aluminum, no Alzheimer’s disease.”
Science has suggested the link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s for more than 40 years.
Simply put, it couldn’t hurt to reduce one’s exposure to aluminum, an element that features no known essential role in living systems, according to a June 2018 article from the National Institutes of Health.
The metal “is a recognized neurotoxin, which could cause neurodegeneration,” wrote the researchers, Elif Inan-Eroglu and Aylin Ayaz.
Dr. Marnie Whitley, naturopathic physician at Neurology Associates, agrees.
“Aluminum toxicity has been thought for some time to have an association with immune suppression, cognitive decline and dementia including Alzheimer’s,” she says. “As with most heavy metals, the level of exposure and the body’s ability (or rather lack of ability) to clear the metal are factors in health risks.”
There are some foods that may help clear aluminum but “the easiest factor to address is exposure,” Whitley says.
Because aluminum is one of the most abundant metals in the earth’s crust, avoiding it altogether is impossible, she adds. That means aluminum is naturally present in healthy foods such as spinach and that’s okay.
“Where we can best avoid exposure is in food additives, so look for additives containing sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium aluminum sulfate,” Whitley says. “Also look at cosmetics, deodorants, cookware, and pharmaceuticals for sources of exposure and avoid them if possible. For many of these products there are aluminum-free options. Don’t avoid your spinach because it has some aluminum – it has some protective nutrients as well.”
Aluminum is also prevalent in occupations including aluminum refining, publishing and printing, and the automotive sector.
Kelly Teal has worked as a journalist, writer, editor and analyst for more than 20 years. Her experience and skill enable her to write with finesse and authority on topics including health care, technology and lifestyle. She serves as principal of her own company, Kreativ Energy LLC.