TOXICS INFORMATION PROJECT
(TIP)
Tel. 401-351-9193, E-Mail: TIP@toxicsinfo.org
Website: www.toxicsinfo.org
(Lighting the way to Less
Toxic Living)
DOES ALUMINUM
CAUSE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE?
www.caregiving-solutions.com/causes.html#alum
In the early 1980's some
researchers found aluminum in the cores of senile plaques. The fact that aluminum was found close to AB
deposits in senile plaques suggested that
it might be a cause of
Alzheimer's disease. Aluminum was
further suggested as a cause
of dementia because it had
been noted that dialysis patients, who sometimes develop dementia, had high
aluminum levels in their blood.
Workers began to look for aluminum in the brains of Alzheimer patients. Some studies, indeed, did find high aluminum
levels in the brains of patients. However, just
as many studies failed to find
aluminum in the brains of patients. An
additional complication was that other metals, such as silica, iron, and zinc
were found in senile plaques, along with aluminum.
Such results cast doubt on aluminum as the cause of Alzheimer's disease. Other studies cast doubt, too. One study showed that heavy users
of aluminum-containing
antacids did not show an increased incidence of Alzheimer's disease [1]. A study of workers in the aluminum industry
also failed to show a higher incidence of Alzheimer's disease [2].
Some new
studies have revived aluminum as a possible cause of Alzheimer's disease.
Aluminum, in cultured tissue, can cause AB to aggregate and clump together[3].
Other metals, such as iron and zinc, can also cause
AB to clump together in insoluble deposits. One study showed that aluminum was
able to induce more AB aggregation
than iron or zinc [4].
Several recent studies have also found aluminum to
be higher in the blood of Alzheimer patients [5,6].
Two studies have shown that when Alzheimer patients and normal elderly are
given a drink containing aluminum citrate, Alzheimer patients consistently
absorb more aluminum in their gastrointestinal tract than do normal elderly [7,8]. The fact that
Alzheimer patients may absorb more aluminum from what they drink has added
significance when you consider some other evidence.
Seven studies I have reviewed show that high
aluminum in drinking water increases the risk for Alzheimer's [9,10,11,12,13,14,15].
Only one study was negative [16].
A study done last year reports that Alzheimer risk is doubled when
aluminum content in drinking water is greater than 0.1 milligram per
liter. The study also finds that
dissolved silica in the water actually decreases risk . Clearly, aluminum increases Alzheimer risk,
but exactly how remains unclear.
SCIENTIFIC
REFERENCES
1. Colin-Jones,D.,et.al.,Alzheimer's disease in
antacid users. Lancet,1989,1:1453
2. Salib,E.et.al.,A case control study of
Alzheimer's disease and aluminum occupation.
Br J Psychiatry, 1996, 168:244-249
3. Exley,C.,et.al.,Aluminum,beta amyloid and
non-enzymatic glycosylation. FEBS Letters, 1995, 364: 182-184.
4. Shearman,M.,et.al.,The relative importance
of metal ions for beta amyloid toxicity: a reply. Biochem J, 1995, 314:709-711.
5. Zapatero, M.D., et.al., Serum aluminum levels in Alzheimer's
disease and other senile dementias. Biol Trace Elem Res, 1995,47:235-240.
6. Corrigan F.M.,et.al., Transferrin,
cholesterol, and aluminum in Alzheimer's disease. Clin Chim Acta, 1992, 211:121-123.
7. Taylor, G.A.,et.al., Gastrointestinal
absorption of aluminum in Alzheimer's disease: response to aluminum citrate.
Age Ageing, 1992, 21:81-90.
8.
9. McLachlan, D.R., et.al., Risk for neuropathologically confirmed
Alzheimer's disease and residual aluminum in municipal drinking water employing
weighted residential histories. Neurology ,1996,
46:401-405.
10. Giordano, R, et. al., Some aspects related to the presence of
aluminum in waters.Ann 1st Super Sanita, 1993 ,29:305-311.
11. Forbes,W.F., et. al., Further thoughts on the aluminum-
Alzheimer's disease link. J Epidemiol Commun Health, 1996, 50:401-403.
12. Jacqmin-Gadda,H., et. al.,
Silica and aluminum in drinking water and cognitive impairment in the elderly. Epidemiology, 1996,7:281-285.
13. Martyn, C.N., et.al., Geographical relation between
Alzheimer's disease and aluminum in drinking water. Lancet,1989,1:59-62.
14. Still,C.N., et. al., On the incidence of primary degenerative
dementias: water fluoride content in
15. Flaten,J.P.,et.al.,
Geographic association between aluminum in drinking water and registered
death rates with dementia(including Alzheimer's disease) in Norway. Environ
Geochem Health,1990,12:152-167.
16. Forster,D.P.,et.al., Risk factors in clinically diagnosed
presenile dementia of the Alzheimer type: a case control study in