Combating Toxic Aluminum

Last week we discussed the dangers of aluminum to your brain and how common aluminum is in food and water. Now that you know about the dangers, how can you fight its toxic effects?

The following substances can reduce inflammation and remove harmful metals from the body:

Bee propolis. Several studies have shown that bee propolis (a flavonoid-rich, resinous substance that bees collect from tree buds) can counteract the damaging effects of aluminum. Rats given aluminum plus propolis, or propolis alone, demonstrated an elevation in antioxidant enzymes and a return to normal blood lipid profiles. Propolis has also been found to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. For a detailed discussion on inflammation and its role in many diseases, see my newsletter "Inflammation: The Real Cause of Most Diseases."

Ascorbic acid. In another study, male New Zealand rabbits were given aluminum chloride and varying doses of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Researchers found that vitamin C significantly reduced the level of free radicals generated by the aluminum and returned total lipid and cholesterol levels to normal. (You can learn even more about the benefits of supplements, like Vitamin C, by reading my special report "Key Vitamins That Save Your Heart, Prevent Cancer and Keep You Living Long.")

Chelators. A chelator is a substance used to remove excess metal from the body. The traditional pharmaceutical treatment for aluminum overload is desferrioxamine, a chelator that is administered either intramuscularly or via IV. Unfortunately, this can cause painful swelling at the site of the injection and has a number of serious side effects.

A newer agent, called Feralex-G, appears to be superior and can be taken orally. Recent studies have shown that, unlike most other aluminum chelators, Feralex-G can remove aluminum that has bound to the cell nucleus. (Aluminum tightly binds to the nucleic acid of DNA; this causes much of its toxicity.) Combining vitamin C with Feralex-G significantly improves removal of aluminum from the cell nucleus, a process called shuttle chelation.