Aluminum Overload Can Exacerbate ADHD and Affect Gut Health
Heavy metal accumulation, including aluminium burden, poses a significant threat to our health, impacting both our nervous system and gut function, often exacerbating conditions like ADHD and digestive disorders. This burden can escalate gradually over time, with stressors triggering physical manifestations. Underlying diseases can affect our heavy metal absorption rate and our toxic load For example, people with anemia (anemia is prevalent in ADHD) have higher levels of aluminum in their blood. Sources of aluminium exposure vary, encompassing dietary intake, environmental pollutants, and everyday products.
Despite the concerning implications, there's hope in managing aluminium toxicity through strategic supplementation, notably with Iron and Vitamin D, which have shown promise in reducing aluminum levels. However, caution is warranted, as aluminum intake may detrimentally affect the microbiota and pose challenges for brain detoxification, emphasizing the importance of informed dietary choices and ongoing research into functional remedies.
Aluminium, a ubiquitous metal in our environment, pervades daily life through air, food, and water sources, presenting a constant risk to human health. Despite lacking a defined physiological role within the body, aluminum can elicit adverse physiological responses, particularly with chronic exposure. Various studies indicate a range of neurological and behavioral changes linked to aluminum exposure, with human epidemiological data suggesting cognitive impairments and increased neurological symptoms among those occupationally exposed. While neurobehavioral research is emerging, the current evidence underscores aluminum's potential to disrupt mitochondrial functions, leading to oxidative stress and cellular damage implicated in neurodegenerative disorders such as ADHD, Parkinson's Disease, and Alzheimer's Disease.
Disorders linked to elevated Aluminium
ADHD
Autism
Alzheimer's
Chron's Disease
Parkinson's Disease
Assessing Aluminium Body Burden
Aluminium (Al) is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. Al exposure can cause a variety of adverse physiological effects. It is found in our homes, food, drinking water, soil, and medications.
Symptom questionnaires, environmental exposure surveys, and functional lab testing can help assess heavy aluminum buildup and overload. Heavy Metal testing can be done through blood, urine, hair and stool.
10 Symptoms of Aluminium Overload
- Abnormal speech
- Frequent illness
- Confusion
- Hypertension
- Tics, jerks, convulsions
- Memory loss
- Changes in personality
- Inflammation
- Digestive Distress
- Hyperactivity
How do you test for elevated Aluminium levels?
- Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a diagnostic test that assesses mineral levels and heavy metal concentrations in a person's hair sample. This non-invasive procedure involves collecting a small sample of hair, usually from the scalp, which is then analyzed to provide insights into the individual's mineral status and potential heavy metal exposure. One of the notable advantages of HTMA, particularly for children, is its non-invasive nature.
Additionally, since hair grows continuously, the sample reflects a longer-term view of mineral levels and toxic metal exposure, providing valuable information about the individual's health status over time. Overall, HTMA offers a convenient and effective means of assessing mineral imbalances and heavy metal toxicity, making it a valuable tool in functional medicine and pediatric care.
- Utilizing blood work to assess aluminum levels involves measuring aluminum concentration in the bloodstream, providing insight into the body's current exposure to this toxic metal. Elevated aluminum levels in the blood may indicate increased absorption or accumulation, potentially stemming from environmental sources or dietary intake. Monitoring aluminum levels through blood analysis enables healthcare professionals to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing aluminum exposure and mitigating associated health risks.
- Urine testing for heavy metal levels is a common method used to assess the body's burden of toxic metals. This process involves collecting a urine sample, which is then analyzed to measure the concentration of various heavy metals excreted by the body. The levels of heavy metals in urine can provide valuable insights into recent exposure as well as the body's ability to detoxify and eliminate these substances.
The Organic Acids Test (OAT) is another diagnostic tool that can complement urine testing for heavy metals. While urine testing focuses on directly measuring heavy metal levels, the OAT evaluates metabolic byproducts in urine to assess overall metabolic function and identify potential imbalances or dysfunctions. Certain markers on the OAT can indirectly indicate heavy metal toxicity or impaired detoxification pathways, providing additional context to the results of heavy metal testing.
Urine testing for heavy metals and the Organic Acids Test offer a comprehensive approach to assessing toxic metal exposure and its impact on overall health. By combining direct measurement of heavy metal levels with evaluation of metabolic markers, healthcare practitioners can gain a more holistic understanding of an individual's toxic burden and tailor interventions to support detoxification and restore balance to the body's systems.
We offer both these tests at Botanical Health Clinic to our current clients.
Functional Foods and Supplements to Decrease Aluminium Burden
| Calcium | People with low calcium have increased absorption of aluminium. Postmenopausal women and humans who don’t eat dairy should be monitored and encouraged to take a calcium supplement. |
| Probiotics | Taking probiotics, especially the strain Lactobacillus plantarum, can reduce aluminium levels. |
| Vitamin D | Aluminium negatively affects parathyroid function and could hinder the body's natural conversion of Vitamin D in the body. |
| Iron | Aluminium toxicity has been linked to iron deficiency and anemia. Iron supplementation can decrease aluminum levels. |
| Vitamin C | Vitamin C has been used alongside chelators to remove aluminium from the brain. |
Featured Test to Assess Aluminium Levels
References
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