Aluminum can be defined as a trivalent cation that is present in its ionic form in plant tissues, most kinds of animals, and even in natural waters. It is ranked the 3rd most prevalent element and the metal that is most abundant inside the earth’s crust. Because of the high reactivity of Aluminum, it is only found in combination with other elements in nature.
Dietary Aluminum is omnipresent, but in such small quantities that it fails to be a significant source of concern in people who have normal elimination capacity. Urban water supplies tend to have high concentrations due to the fact that water is normally treated using aluminum prior to being supplied.
The purification processes that follow remove all organic compounds, which happen to be the same compounds which bind Aluminum in its free state, thus further enhancing its concentration. All metals are known to cause one or more diseases when they are found in excess in the body.
Aluminum is essentially a neurotoxin, which means it is poisonous to both the nervous system and the brain. There is a strong connection between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and elevated brain aluminum levels. Aluminum toxicity in the brain is commonly referred to as hypersensitivity.
Aluminum Toxicity in Brains
Aluminum present in medicines, cosmetics, and food could be slowly poisoning our brains and even causing Alzheimer's disease. This is because the metal compound is present in a majority of fizzy drinks, wine, tea, malt drinks, cosmetics, toothpaste, antiperspirants, sunscreen, cocoa, processed foods, vaccines, antacids, and even drugs such as aspirin.
The human body has the capability of excreting aluminum, but if it is deposited in excessive amounts that cannot be handled by the body, it gets deposited in the brain, liver, muscle, heart, and bone. However, the human brain tends to be a likely deposit target when aluminum enters the human body.
When the aluminum accumulation in the brain reaches the toxic threshold, then all the affected areas of the human brain experience difficulty and may be unable to cope.
On the other hand, if a particular area of the brain is already suffering from a certain condition, then the presence of aluminum will only serve to worsen the condition.
Dangers
There are several dangers associated with aluminum toxicity in the brain. Some of the major dangers include the following:
- It may lead to the early onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may affect an individual’s memory.
- It can slow growth in children because when it accumulates in the brain, liver, thyroid, and kidneys it competes for absorption with calcium. This has the potential of affecting skeletal mineralization.
- It can lead to a variety of mental impairments such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, and autism.
- It may lead to the patient experiencing speech impairments and becoming unable to clearly communicate with others.
Side Effects And Signs
There are numerous side effects and signs that are strongly linked to aluminum toxicity in the brain. Some of the notable ones include the following:
- Feelings of irritability
- Feeling of agitation or annoyance
- Uneasiness or feelings of apprehension.
- Aversion to odors, movement, touch, and noise
- Abnormal sensitivity to both cold and hot temperatures
- Heightened sensitivity to darkness and light
- Breathing disorders
- Urinary and bowel dysfunction
- Sleep disorders
- The exhibition of Parkinsonian symptoms
- Dysfunction of organs such as the thyroid gland and kidney
- Muscle weakness
- Involuntary muscle twitches
- Immune dysfunction
- Imbalance
- Ear disorders that may be characterized by hearing loss
- Eye disorders
- Extreme exhaustion or fatigue
- Cardiac complications such as congestive heart failure
- Osteoporosis
The above side effects and signs of aluminum toxicity in brains should never be ignored, as the difficulty in performing normal behaviors have the potential of escalating into violence. Aluminum consumption should also be immediately stopped.
Top Aluminum Toxicity Treatments
There are a number of treatments that help in both managing and treating aluminum toxicity to the brain. The major ones include the ones listed below:
- Addition of silica to water helps in decreasing the chances of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia because it facilitates the excretion of aluminum via urine. The major advantage of this form of treatment is that it allows important metals such as copper and iron to remain in the body where they are needed. Drinking water that is enriched with silica on a daily basis can completely eliminate the mineral is as little as 12 weeks.
- L-Theanine – This is a compound commonly found in tea and known to reduce anxiety, protect the nervous system, and promote relaxation. It helps the human brain operate in a manner that enables it to self-repair. It does this through the increase of antioxidant activity and reduction in oxidative stress. L-Theanine is also available as a supplement.
- Turmeric – This has an active compound called curcumin which enhances the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione antioxidant enzyme systems that are found in regions of the brain which control memory and learning. Curcumin works by reducing oxidative stress in the brain. Curcumin can be administered as a turmeric additive to drinks and foods or be taken as a supplement.
- Elimination of aluminum from the diet.
- Chelation therapy – This is a form of chemical therapy that involves the injection of a synthetic solution called EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) into the bloodstream so as to remove heavy metals or minerals such as aluminum from the human body. EDTA works by grabbing the minerals or heavy metals like calcium, aluminum, arsenic, iron, copper, mercury, and lead and consequently removing them from the body. It is an effective treatment that can be used to eliminate aluminum toxicity. This should be done by a medical toxicologist and a nephrologist upon admission to a hospital or doctor’s office.
The above forms of treatments function to gradually decrease the levels and even completely eliminate aluminum toxicity.
Aluminum Toxicity in Brains Conclusion
The above insightful information clearly indicates that aluminum is very toxic to the brain and that there is a high probability that it has a pathogenic role in an individual developing Alzheimer’s disease. It is important for people to test their level of exposure to aluminum so as to take the necessary steps to correct the situation.
