DEAR DR. GOTT: Would you address the link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease? And if there is truly a link, why do deodorants contain it? Thank you.
DEAR READER: I wish I could provide a direct answer. There have been a number of books written and a great deal of research done about a possible link, but after numerous years of research, scientists remain unsure what role — if any — aluminum plays in Alzheimer’s disease. In the 1960s and 1970s, researchers experimented with rabbits exposed to aluminum salts. They did discover severe neurological damage that might be compared with Alzheimer’s in people; however, further review revealed significant differences between what was found in rabbits and what was found in humans. The conclusion? Perhaps they were totally different ailments. This is not to say that aluminum has been ruled out as a cause of Alzheimer’s. It simply indicates that the views we so positively held several years ago may no longer be valid. It seems the more we learn, the less we know.
In terms of deodorant, it is likely safe. It’s antiperspirants that contain aluminum.
Readers who would like more information on Alzheimer’s disease can send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order made payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.
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