A Risk of Alzheimer's Disease and Aluminum in Drinking Water

Abstract

Abstract: The epidemiological studies on the relation between Alzheimer's disease and aluminum in drinking water are reviewed. In descriptive studies, case‐control studies, and also cohort studies aluminum in drinking water turned out to be positive for the senile dementia of Alzheimer type. Negative results were obtained in the studies of presenile dementia or alminum levels lower than 0.1 mg/L. Aluminum is the third abundant element on earth, therefore, exposure to aluminum is inevitable in daily life. It is known that as over 95% of cases with Alzheimer's disease are sporadic, some environmental factors are expected to be etiological. Aluminum has been so far studied as a candidate for a neurotoxic factor. It is not known why attention has been given to only aluminum in drinking water as the cause of the neuro‐degenerative disease other than aluminum in foods or medications, and how aluminum acts as a toxicant in brain. Nonetheless, reduction of aluminum in drinking water is recommended, as well as investigations on the mechanism of neurotoxicity of aluminum to find out the way to be free from the fear of aluminum.