Aluminum, as a known neurotoxicant, contributes to cognitive dysfunction and may contribute to Alzheimer's disease. The important reason is that aluminum can enter and be deposited in the brain. There have been three routes by which aluminum could enter the brain from systemic circulation or the site of absorption.

Is aluminum toxic to the brain?

Aluminium is seen in the normal, healthy brain. It is not clear how aluminium is getting into the brain from the blood. The levels currently seen in peoples brains hasn't been shown to be toxic but an ageing brain may be less able to process the aluminium.

Does aluminum stay in your brain?

However, aluminum normally is not found in healthy brain tissue and researchers do not know how the metal gets into the brain. Experimentally it is proven that aluminum is toxic to nerves in animals but the neuron degeneration is different from what occurs in humans.

Does aluminum cause memory loss?

This suspicion led to concern about exposure to aluminum through everyday sources such as pots and pans, beverage cans, antacids and antiperspirants. Since then, studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer's.

Does aluminum affect the nervous system?

The literature demonstrates clearly negative impacts of aluminum on the nervous system across the age span. In adults, aluminum exposure can lead to apparently age-related neurological deficits resembling Alzheimer's and has been linked to this disease and to the Guamanian variant, ALS-PDC.

What are the signs of aluminum poisoning?

Symptoms

• Confusion.
• Muscle weakness.
• Bone pain, deformities, and fractures.
• Seizures.
• Speech problems.
• Slow growth—in children.

Does zinc cause dementia?

Low dietary intake combined with senescence of homeostatic mechanisms contributes to an elevated incidence of zinc deficiency in the aging population, which may contribute to an increased risk of DM and dementia.

Can the body eliminate aluminum?

Approximately 95% of an aluminum load becomes bound to transferrin and albumin intravascularly and is then eliminated renally. In healthy subjects, only 0.3% of orally administered aluminum is absorbed via the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and the kidneys effectively eliminate aluminum from the human body.