If you're like most women, chances are you apply antiperspirant on a daily basis, which is nice for everyone around you, but it can possibly spell trouble for your health. Scientists recently discovered that shaving your armpits, then applying an antiperspirant containing aluminum on a daily basis may potentially increase your chances of developing Alzheimer's and chronic fatigue. Well, that stinks.
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The cause of this medical phenomenon is two-fold. First of all, when you apply antiperspirant containing aluminum to your freshly shaved pits, you make it easier for the metal to be absorbed by your body, which is no bueno. You see, human beings really don't have any biological use for aluminum. So, our bodies have to hustle to get rid of it. The only thing is, as women, we sweat less than our male counterparts, meaning it's harder for us to get rid of the metal. Adding to our dilemma is the fact that the very thing we applied to our pits, antiperspirant, is what is making it even harder for us to sweat that dang metal out. Arg! Ain't that the pits?
But wait, there's more bad news. Makeup, skin and hair care products, some infant formulas, cookware, cigarettes (and, yes, marijuana!), certain dietary supplements, and even some vaccines may contain aluminum in them. In essence, it seems like we are exposing ourselves (and our children) to crazy levels of aluminum on a daily basis. It's really no wonder our exposure to aluminum has increased significantly over the last six decades. In 1950, our exposure to aluminum would have been approximately 1 milligram per day. Hoy, it's more like 30 milligrams per day. That's a really big deal!
Aluminum is known as a neurotoxin, a substance that may alter normal activities of the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. In other words, high levels of the metal can really mess with your head…and bod. For instance, when your body fails to excrete excess aluminum via sweat and urine, whatever is left over is deposited into various tissues, including your brain, liver, muscles, spleen, heart, and even into your bones, where it will run amok.
For example, in 2004, scientists studied a 43-year-old woman who had been using an antiperspirant containing aluminum chlorohydrate for four years and was experiencing bone pain and fatigue. When they looked at her blood plasma, they realized it contained an elevated level of aluminum. However, when she stopped using the dang antiperspirant, her aluminum levels fell back into the normal range, and her pain went away. Other researchers studying the effects of aluminum on the human body have found indisputable evidence linking exposure to aluminum with triggering an early onset of Alzheimer's disease.
But don't freak out just yet. You can reduce your exposure to the potentially harmful metal. First thing's first: read labels on personal care products, such as antiperspirants and makeup. Second, limit your consumption of processed foods and drinks. Then there are other things you can do that, really, you should already be doing anyway, like abstaining from recreational drug use and smoking. Also, drink lots of silicon-rich mineral agua to help flush your body of harmful metals and other toxins. And last, avoid using aluminum when cooking or preparing food. All in all, it's really about sweating what you put into and onto your body.
Image via Corbis
