Human Health Effects of Dietary Aluminum
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18192/riss-ijhs.v4i1.1219Keywords:
Aluminum, diet, absorption, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s diseaseAbstract
Aluminum is abundant in the environment and can also be found in most foods. To date, no convincing data has been found regarding the possible risk of ingesting aluminum through food, water and pharmaceuticals. This paper sought to review current literature to find evidence of the health effects of aluminum absorption in the diet in humans.
The review found that the evidence is contradictory and as such, there is no established causation between dietary aluminum and adverse health effects. Many studies suggest a relationship between aluminum consumption and Alzheimer’s disease, but here again, the results are inconsistent. More research is needed to establish the risk of daily ingestion of aluminum through the diet, drinking water and the use of pharmaceuticals. Further research should be conducted on subpopulation groups, such as children, chronic pharmaceutical drug users and other vulnerable groups.
References
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Becaria, A., Campbell, A., & Bondy, S. C. (2002). Aluminum as a toxicant. Toxicology and Industrial Health, 18(7), 309-320. doi: 10.1191/0748233702th157oa
Bougle, D., Bureau, F., Voirin, J., Neuville, D., & Duhamel, J. F. (1992). A cross-sectional study of plasma and urinary aluminum levels in term and preterm infants. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 16(2), 157-159. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1556812
Cho, S., & Joshi, J. G. (1988). Effect of long-term feeding of aluminium chloride on hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the brain. Toxicology, 48(1), 61-69.
Cochran, M., Goddard, G., & Ludwigson, N. (1990). Aluminum absorption by rat duodenum: Further evidence of energy-dependent uptake. Toxicology Letters, 51(3), 287-294.
Demircan, M., Ergün, O., Coker, C., Yilmaz, F., Avanoglu, S., & Ozok, G. (1998). Aluminum in total parenteral nutrition solutions produces portal inflammation in rats. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology Nutrition, 26(3), 274-278.
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Krewski, D., Yokel, R. A., Nieboer, E., Borchelt, D., Cohen, J., Harry, J., … & Rondeau, V. (2007). Human health risk assessment for aluminium, aluminium oxide, and aluminium hydroxide. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B: Critical Reviews, 10(Supp. 1), 1-269. doi: 10.1080/10937400701597766
McLachlan, D. R. C. (1995). Aluminum and the risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Environmetrics, 6(3), 233-275. doi: 10.1002/env.3170060303c
Ondreička, R., Ginter, E., & Kortus, J. (1966). Chronic toxicity of aluminium in rats and mice and its effects on phosphorous metabolism. British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 23(4), 305-312.
Ott, S. M., Maloney, N. A., Klein, G. L., Alfrey, A. C., Ament, M. E., Coburn, J. W., & Sherrard, D. J. (1983). Aluminum is associated with low bone formation in patients receiving chronic parenteral nutrition. Annals of Internal Medicine, 98(6), 910-914.
Savory, J., Rao, J. K., Huang, Y., Letada, P. R., & Hernam, M. M. (1999). Age-related hippocampal changes in Bcl-2: Bax ratio, oxidative stress, redox-active iron and apoptosis associated with aluminum-induced neurodegeneration: Increased susceptibility with aging. Neurotoxicology, 20 (5), 805-817.
Sedman, A. B., Klein, G. L., Merritt R. J., Miller, N. L., Weber, K. O., Gill, W. L., … & Alfrey, A. C. (1985). Evidence of aluminum loading in infants receiving intravenous therapy. New England Journal of Medicine, 312(21), 1337-1343.
Walton, J. R. (2009a). Brain lesions comprised of aluminum-rich cells that lack microtubules may be associated with the cognitive deficit of Alzheimer’s disease. Neuro-Toxicology,30(6), 1059-1069. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2009.06.010
Walton, J. R. (2009b). Functional impairment in aged rats chronically exposed to human range dietary aluminum equivalents. NeuroToxicology, 30(2), 182-193. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2008.11.012
Willhite, C. C., Ball, G. L., & McLellan, C. J. (2012). Total allowable concentrations of monomeric inorganic aluminum and hydrated aluminum silicates in drinking water. Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 42(5), 358-442. doi: 10.3109/10408444.2012.674101
World Health Organization. (2010). Aluminum in Drinking-water. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/aluminium/en/ WHO reference number: WHO/HSE/WSH/10.01/13
Yokel, R. A. (1988). Aluminum and alzheimer’s disease: Should we worry? Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 1(2), 118-127. doi: 10.1177/089719008800100207
Becaria, A., Campbell, A., & Bondy, S. C. (2002). Aluminum as a toxicant. Toxicology and Industrial Health, 18(7), 309-320. doi: 10.1191/0748233702th157oa
Bougle, D., Bureau, F., Voirin, J., Neuville, D., & Duhamel, J. F. (1992). A cross-sectional study of plasma and urinary aluminum levels in term and preterm infants. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 16(2), 157-159. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1556812
Cho, S., & Joshi, J. G. (1988). Effect of long-term feeding of aluminium chloride on hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the brain. Toxicology, 48(1), 61-69.
Cochran, M., Goddard, G., & Ludwigson, N. (1990). Aluminum absorption by rat duodenum: Further evidence of energy-dependent uptake. Toxicology Letters, 51(3), 287-294.
Demircan, M., Ergün, O., Coker, C., Yilmaz, F., Avanoglu, S., & Ozok, G. (1998). Aluminum in total parenteral nutrition solutions produces portal inflammation in rats. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology Nutrition, 26(3), 274-278.
Encyclopedia of Earth. (2008). Health effects of aluminum. Retrieved from http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/51cbedf87896bb431f69527b/
Flaten, T. P. (2001). Aluminium as a risk factor in Alzheimer’s disease, with emphasis on drinking water. Brain Research Bulletin, 55(2), 187-196.
Greger, J. L. (1993). Aluminum metabolism. Annual Review of Nutrition, 13(1), 43-63. doi: 10.1146/annurev.nu.13.070193.000355
Greger, J. L., & Sutherland, J. E. (1997). Aluminum exposure and metabolism. Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 34(5), 439-474. doi: 10.3109/10408369709006422
Health Canada. (1998). Aluminum. Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/aluminum/index-eng.php
Health Canada. (2003). Aluminum and human health. Retrieved from http://www.porcupinehu.on.ca/Inspection/documents/aluminum_02_16_2007e.pdf
Health Canada. (2008). Health Canada review of dietary exposure to aluminum. Retrieved from http://www.hcsc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/aluminum-eng.php
Krewski, D., Yokel, R. A., Nieboer, E., Borchelt, D., Cohen, J., Harry, J., … & Rondeau, V. (2007). Human health risk assessment for aluminium, aluminium oxide, and aluminium hydroxide. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B: Critical Reviews, 10(Supp. 1), 1-269. doi: 10.1080/10937400701597766
McLachlan, D. R. C. (1995). Aluminum and the risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Environmetrics, 6(3), 233-275. doi: 10.1002/env.3170060303c
Ondreička, R., Ginter, E., & Kortus, J. (1966). Chronic toxicity of aluminium in rats and mice and its effects on phosphorous metabolism. British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 23(4), 305-312.
Ott, S. M., Maloney, N. A., Klein, G. L., Alfrey, A. C., Ament, M. E., Coburn, J. W., & Sherrard, D. J. (1983). Aluminum is associated with low bone formation in patients receiving chronic parenteral nutrition. Annals of Internal Medicine, 98(6), 910-914.
Savory, J., Rao, J. K., Huang, Y., Letada, P. R., & Hernam, M. M. (1999). Age-related hippocampal changes in Bcl-2: Bax ratio, oxidative stress, redox-active iron and apoptosis associated with aluminum-induced neurodegeneration: Increased susceptibility with aging. Neurotoxicology, 20 (5), 805-817.
Sedman, A. B., Klein, G. L., Merritt R. J., Miller, N. L., Weber, K. O., Gill, W. L., … & Alfrey, A. C. (1985). Evidence of aluminum loading in infants receiving intravenous therapy. New England Journal of Medicine, 312(21), 1337-1343.
Walton, J. R. (2009a). Brain lesions comprised of aluminum-rich cells that lack microtubules may be associated with the cognitive deficit of Alzheimer’s disease. Neuro-Toxicology,30(6), 1059-1069. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2009.06.010
Walton, J. R. (2009b). Functional impairment in aged rats chronically exposed to human range dietary aluminum equivalents. NeuroToxicology, 30(2), 182-193. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2008.11.012
Willhite, C. C., Ball, G. L., & McLellan, C. J. (2012). Total allowable concentrations of monomeric inorganic aluminum and hydrated aluminum silicates in drinking water. Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 42(5), 358-442. doi: 10.3109/10408444.2012.674101
World Health Organization. (2010). Aluminum in Drinking-water. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/aluminium/en/ WHO reference number: WHO/HSE/WSH/10.01/13
Yokel, R. A. (1988). Aluminum and alzheimer’s disease: Should we worry? Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 1(2), 118-127. doi: 10.1177/089719008800100207
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2014-08-17
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