Styptic pencils and Alum blocks contain aluminum. Has anyone thought of alzheimer's and the claims about Aluminum?
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Styptic pencils and Alum blocks contain aluminum. Has anyone thought of alzheimer's and the claims about Aluminum?
my alum blocks are aluminum free
I could be completely wrong, but I thought "alum" blocks can be slightly different in composition. the alum blocks we use (potassium or potash) are different than the other more common blocks used as underarm deodorant?
Chris L
There have been a few threads discussing this in the past. From memory (sorry, too lazy to search for it :o) the conclusion was that there is no risk as it's not aluminium but a compound of Potassium (sulphate) that makes up an alum block. Wikipedia's entry.
Sorry for the delayed response but I just found this thread. Also sorry to say that your alum block of potassium sulphate still has aluminum in it. Your own Wiki entry lists it as KAl(SO4)2.12H2O, which is hydratede Potassium Aluminum Sulphate.Quote:
Originally Posted by majurey
If anyone truly believes that they have a non-aluminum alum, please let me know. Doc, you have a PM on the way.
I think we are safe here in Australia, as we use Aluminium, not this aluminum...
Is there really any causal link between the odds of developing Alzheimer's and ingestion or exposure to Aluminum?
James.
I dont really know if there is any correlation or not, what I do know is that I prefer foods cooked with cast iron or glass! So unless I am eating away from home I dont worry about it.
Forty years ago and likely well before that health food advocates warned of eating foods cooked in aluminum pots & pans. I have avoided any contact with the stuff long before the Alzheimer's association came up.
I'm pretty sure that they've discounted aluminium as a major risk factor for developing Alzheimer's. I think it's zinc and copper that are the big worries. Besides, the amount of aluminium that you'd get from using a styptic pencil would be rather small and not much of a concern unless you're cutting youself very frequently.
Actually I'm more concerned about the alum block rather than a styptic pencil.
Hehe, we use that stuff in the UK too!Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo
I did a search at PubMed on this very topic a few months ago when I got an alum block from Francisco.
Current data and longitudinal studies indicate there is no correlation between Aluminum and Alzheimer's disease.
Use alum blocks all you want, use aluminum cookwear, eat the pull tabs from your beercans. You won't get Alzheimer's.
Alum's been about for centuries and is still used a lot -- if there really was a risk I'm sure the med journals would have been full of articles by now.
There's more danger from making fun of American spelling variations. ";"
Aluminum/Aluminium, potato/potatoe*
*Courtesy of Dan Quayle.
Unless of course the testers keep forgetting to report their findingsQuote:
Originally Posted by majurey
I have read that vaccines may be the culprit.Especially, since elderly are always getting flu shots.Who knows for sure though.
and who funds the medical journals? the pharmaceutical companies. and who is on the boards that decide what aritcles to print in those journals? the pharmaceutical companies CEO's. watch the movie Food Matters, it is very informative and all true. no conspiracy here i swear. there are natural cures for everything.Quote:
Originally Posted by majurey
TRUE. If you eat right you can avoid a lot of things.But TV and the pharmaceutical companies don't want us to know that.Look at all of the drug commercials on TV. It makes you wonder.
I use something called naturally fresh deodorant crystal. it says natural mineral salts / potassium alum and aloe Vera fragrance free and no harmful aluminum's. Works great for me. comes in a roll on container. you can get it at GNC
I cook in cast iron and stainless steel, don't use alum blocks so I don't have to worry about aluminum associated Alzheimer's malease, but am increasingly convinced that I must be in the early stages of non-Alzheimer's dementia or CRS. Writing reminders to self works only so long as one remembers where those lists have been placed or where one put the pencil and figuring out who stole the scratch pad.:thinking:
(did I just strop that razor or is it placed there by the strop to be stropped or is it just there because it looks good?):confused:
My wife picked up some bubble bee deodorant. It claims to be all organic and contains no aluminum.
a good magnesium suppliment as well as a good source of the omega fatty acids (Cod liver Oil is one of the best) will help immensely with brain function, and memory. that is my experience anyways. the cod liver oil is also a great source of A and D and is great for lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. just make sure to get a good source as many can be rancid an much less effective.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce
sorry that is a bit off topic
OK, there is very little truth in this! I happen to work for the third largest academic publishing group in the world. Every academic and professional list area is represented, both books and journals, including a operationally separate medical/healthcare publishing arm. I can honestly say that none of our journals are bankrolled by the pharma companies. Neither are the big ones like BMJ and Lancet (over here) and I would expect JAMA and NEJM in USA. And certainly none of our executive board, non-executive board, or editorial board members hold positions, unpaid or paid, with pharma companies.Quote:
Originally Posted by chee16
The academic community has a pretty robust system of peer review in place and although there are some publications (often seen as 'special editions') in the industry that can be indirectly funded by pharmas, these are seen to be in the same vein as advertorials and certainly the respected research journals cannot afford to be.
Research programs are, of course, an entirely seperate matter. But in the publishing process one has to declare all sources of funding.
Sorry, :OTbut just had to set that one straight.
Thius is a good point. Aluminium is often claimed to be one of the most inert substances for humans. My son has an Al allergy which is meant to be quite unusual. Turns out there's Al in most vaccinations -- used as a stabilising agent. Over here whenever my son has to have innoculations, we go through the process of trying to source versions of the vaccination which has no Al in it, and most of the time it's just not available. The only version will have Al as a stabilising agent. Other common sources of Al absorbed into your body include sunscreen. My boy comes out in hives with certain sunscreens and we have to check that we buy the kind with Titanium in it (they all seem to come with either Titanium Dioxide or an Al compound).Quote:
Originally Posted by zenshaver
When we went to the allergy hospital the consultants were very doubtful that Max has an Al allergy since AL is so stable and inert in people. In fact, the patch used to stick onto one's arm when testing allergans is made of... Aluminium. That is because Al is known not to react with humans and therefore won't complicate the identification of allergans in sufferers. So they just strapped a blank, clean patch on his arm with nothing on it. They were pretty amazed at a clear positive reaction two days later. At that time (3 years ago) they gave us the sum total of articles on Al allergies to read up: there were three.
I keep Max away from the alum block just in case, but I do sometimes wonder if his allergy has anything to do with the fact that I found him grating it over his pasta. And every now and then he asks who I am.:roflmao
Here's an excerpt from the Alzheimer's Society of Canada -
What is aluminum?
We usually think of aluminum as a light silvery metal used to make pots and pans, airplanes or tools, but it also has a non-metallic form. This form of aluminum makes up eight per cent of the earth's surface.
Where is it found?
In the environment
Aluminum in its non-metallic form is found everywhere. Because it is in the earth, it occurs naturally in the foods we eat. It is found in drinking water as a natural component and in some municipalities as an additive in the water treatment process. Aluminum is added to many food products during the manufacturing process. Some cosmetics contain aluminum. It is also used in some drugs to increase their effectiveness or make them less irritating. Aluminum is present in the air we breathe as a result of dry soil, smoke, and sprays. In the body
Aluminum is present in the body, but its role is not fully understood. Very little of the aluminum taken in by a healthy individual is actually absorbed; most is flushed out of the body by the kidneys.
What has led some scientists to believe there is a connection between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease?
Aluminum has been studied for over 40 years as a substance that might be linked to Alzheimer's disease. However, there have been many conflicting findings.
What about the pots and pans?
- Some studies show increased levels of aluminum in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease while others do not.
- Research has not found an increased incidence of Alzheimer's disease in people with occupational exposure to aluminum.
- Tea is one of the few plants whose leaves accumulate large amounts of aluminum that can seep into the brewed beverage. However, there is no evidence that Alzheimer's disease is more prevalent in cultures that typically drink large amounts of tea.
It would be difficult to significantly reduce exposure to aluminum simply by avoiding the use of aluminum cookware, foil, beverage cans and other products. Even if aluminum were clearly implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease, these means of exposure contributes only a very small percentage of the average person's intake of aluminum.
In summary
At this point, there is no evidence that aluminum increases a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.