A soft metal readily absorbed into food, especially acid fruits. Mildly toxic. Salts of aluminium are excreted from the body with difficulty. Believed to be one of the causes of Alzheimer’s disease. The element tends to dry up tissues of the body, the end result of which can be formation of fibrous tissue. There is growing concern that it is associated with hyperactivity in children. So far fish and plant life have been unable to adapt to the increase in aluminium levels in the environment. Most toxic metals are excreted by the kidneys, which organs should receive support by demulcents and diuretics where aluminium poisoning is suspected.
Toxic effects of aluminium may arise from use of baking powders, antacids, deodorants and foodstuffs. Symptoms include: memory loss, anorexia, irritative skin rash, constipation.
A light, metallic element found in bauxite and various other minerals. Aluminium compounds are used in antacid medications and in antiperspirants. Most of the aluminium taken into the body is excreted. Excessive amounts are toxic and are stored in the lungs, brain, liver, and thyroid gland, where they may result in organ damage.
Certain industrial processes give off fumes containing aluminium into the air.
These fumes can cause fibrosis of lung tissue.
Drugs that contain aluminium may interfere with the absorption of other drugs and, therefore, should not be taken at the same time.
A light metallic element. It occurs in bauxite and other minerals and its compounds are found in low concentration in the body. Their function, if any, is unknown but they are believed to be harmful. Aluminium hydroxide is, however, a safe, slow-acting substance that is widely used in the treatment of indigestion, gastric ulcers (see STOMACH, DISEASES OF) and oesophagitis (see OESOPHAGUS, DISEASES OF), acting as an antacid (see ANTACIDS). Other ingested sources of aluminium include cooking utensils, kitchen foil and some cooking and food additives. Most aluminium is excreted; the rest is deposited in the brain, liver, lungs and thyroid gland. Prolonged use of aluminium-based antacids can cause loss of appetite, tiredness and weakness. It has been suggested that ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE is more common in areas with water which contains a high concentration of the element, but this issue is controversial.
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