Alzheimer’s disease is one of America’s greatest health concerns and is expected to increase eight times by the middle of the next century. Alzheimer’s disease had been diagnosed in 60 percent of the patients admitted to nursing homes.
Aluminum can be linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Research shows that there is an abnormally high concentration of aluminum in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims. Independent studies in Norway, the United Kingdom, France and Canada show a direct correlation between the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and the concentration of aluminum in the drinking water. “The Lancet”, a highly respected British journal, showed the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease to be 50 percent greater where drinking water contained high levels of aluminum.
Studies are under way to explore whether aluminum can be removed from the brain and to determine if this will benefit Alzheimer’s patients. It was reported in “The Lancet” that after administering desferrioxamine, a chemical known to remove aluminum and other metals from the body, the progression of dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease was significantly slowed.
Dr. Michael A. Weiner, the executive director of the Alzheimer’s Research Institute stated, “Aluminum has been known as a neurotoxic substance for nearly a century. It is the only element noted to accumulate in the tangle-bearing neurons characteristic of the disease and is also found in elevated amounts in four regions of the brain of Alzheimer’s patients.”
Some of the sources of aluminum that contribute to toxicity are foods, medications and personal hygiene products. Aluminum is added as an emulsifying agent in many processed cheeses, especially those which are single-sliced. It is found in cake mixes, self-rising flour, prepared dough, nondairy creamers, pickles and in some brands of baking powder. Aluminum lauryl sulfate is a common ingredient in many shampoos, while several anti dandruff shampoos, including Selsun-Blue, contain magnesium aluminum silicate. Aluminum is an active ingredient in most antiperspirants (aluminum chlorhydrate). However, since people have started becoming more aware of the dangers of aluminum, some “aluminum free” antiperspirants are now being advertised.
Aluminum is easily absorbed in food cooked in aluminum pots and frying pans. The amount of aluminum ingested from cookware, however is far exceeded by the amounts ingested from food additives.
The highest content of aluminum is in medications. Antacids contain 200 milligrams or more in a single tablet, which is ten times more than the presumed acceptable level. Adequate calcium intake may decrease the risk of aluminum toxicity. A very small amount of aluminum is needed by the body, but ,we get far too much in our society.
Even our drinking water is treated with aluminum to get rid of murkiness in my municipal water supplies.
Aluminum researcher Elizabeth Jeffery has found evidence that flouride interferes with the body’s ability to get rid of aluminum. She says, “My research indicates that flouride readily combines with aluminum in the blood, and that aluminum flouride, once formed is very poorly excreted in the urine.” She believes that the aluminum fluoride then becomes concentrated in the bones (where flourine replaces calcium) and continues to slowly release and recycle through the body over time. Albert Burgstahler, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Kansas, has found that aluminum flouride can pass unusually well through biological barriers, notably the blood-brain barrier, and accumulate in the brain.
The EPA Secondary Maximum Contaminant level for aluminum in water is 50 ppb. City water filtered through a “Multi-pure” system is usually less than 10 ppb. Coca-Cola Classic in an aluminum can has been measured at 6,160 ppb.
Beer has more aluminum when it is packaged in aluminum cans.
Excretion and removal of aluminum (4 lines of defense)
The body is easily able to manage normal, natural levels of aluminum. The body excretes 74-96% of our normal dietary intake of aluminum. Most of the aluminum forms insoluble salts, especially phosphate salts, in the intestine. These are mostly excreted in the feces instead of being absorbed. In excess, however, this can produce a phosphorous deficiency which leads to calcium loss which ultimately leads to structural problems.
The aluminum that is absorbed is only poorly excreted by the kidneys and can easily accumulate in body tissues. It tends to concentrate in the brain, liver, thyroid and lungs.
Those particularly at risk of aluminum accumulation are the elderly and those with kidney damage.
Getting rid of aluminum:
Gary Price Todd, M.D., Nutrition, Health and Disease, 1985 states,
“The evidence is strong enough that the prudent person will eliminate all food and cosmetic sources of aluminum, and will use aluminum cooking utensils only if they are coated.”
High fiber diet – Fiber in the diet will bind with aluminum salts and carry them out with your next bowel movement. Apple pectin, for instance is an effective binding agent.
The chemical known as Bisdemethoxycurcumin in curry, which is made of Turmeric root, may help fight Alzheimer’s disease, a study conducted by the David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles and the Human BioMolecular Research Institute in San Diego suggested.
Algin has the reputation of removing heavy metals. Typically, 5 capsules of algin are consumed in the morning and again at noon for 10 days. After another 10 days of rest, repeat the process. Continue for 3 months.
Calcium and Magnesium supplements (See ASH Master Formula II) They bind with aluminum and will carry it out of the body.
Lecithin – Bathes and protects the nerves including the brain.
B complex vitamins, especially B6 – are important for removing excess metals from the body.
According to the Mayo clinic, “No one factor appears to cause Alzheimer’s disease. Instead, scientists believe that it may take a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors to trigger the onset of symptoms. While the causes of Alzheimer’s are poorly understood, its effect on brain tissue is clear. Alzheimer’s disease damages and kills brain cells.”
Two types of brain cell (neuron) damage are common in people who have Alzheimer’s:
- Plaques. Clumps of a normally harmless protein called beta-amyloid may interfere with communication between brain cells. Although the ultimate cause of neuron death in Alzheimer’s isn’t known, mounting evidence suggests that the abnormal processing of beta-amyloid protein may be the culprit.
- Tangles. The internal support structure for brain cells depends on the normal functioning of a protein called tau. In people with Alzheimer’s, threads of tau protein undergo alterations that cause them to become twisted. Many researchers believe this may seriously damage neurons, causing them to die.
It is likely that the causes of Alzheimer’s include genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. Due to the fact that people differ in their genetic make-up, and because people differ in their genetic make-up and life style, the importance of these factors for preventing or delaying AD differs from person to person.
Research suggests that certain lifestyle factors, such as a nutritious diet, exercise, social engagement, and mentally stimulating pursuits, might help to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and AD. Scientists are investigating associations between cognitive decline and heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Understanding these relationships and testing them in clinical trials will help us understand whether reducing risk factors for these diseases may help with AD as well.
