We often use it while cooking. Many have no idea about poisoning

We are exposed to aluminum every day, including in our kitchens. This metal is found in foils, food trays, and kitchen utensils. Scientists, however, continue to argue about the risks posed by this element. New research has shown that it may cause learning problems. Should we therefore be afraid of using aluminum trays or kitchen foil?

Scientists from Shenyang Medical College [Chinese medical school - editor's note] decided to investigate whether the ability of rats to learn would change after adding aluminum to their water. The idea for the research arose as a result of suspicions that aluminum might be responsible for a decline in cognitive abilities. Renowned specialist Prof. Hans Drexler briefly summarized the research results: "The neurotoxic effects are indisputable".

Scientists added metal to the rats' drinking water at various concentrations - from 0.07 to 35 ounces per gallon, then placed the animals inside what is known as a swing box. The swing box has two compartments. In one, the rats are exposed to unpleasant stimuli but can escape to the other where there were no threats. And it was this trick that the rodents were supposed to learn.

Research has shown that the more aluminum was found in drinking water, the longer the rodents took to make a crucial step. This learning effectiveness decreased measurably in the rats. In the part of the brain responsible for, among other things, learning (hippocampus), the amount of so-called neurotrophic factors necessary for maintaining and creating new nerve cells decreased. Therefore, the study explains, as scientists point out, that high exposure to aluminum leads to a decrease in cognitive abilities.

"Aluminum is a neurotoxin. The neurotoxic effects are indisputable," summarized the results of the research Prof. Hans Drexler from Technische Universität Braunschweig in a conversation with the newspaper "Die Welt".

What does this mean for us? The consolation is that we excrete 99.9 percent of the aluminum received from food and 99.7 percent in the case of drinking water. It follows that the body should regulate the level of aluminum on its own. But there's one "but".

Over the years, our exposure to aluminum has been increasing and increasing. This metal is found in deodorants, batteries, food foils, medicines, cookware, and grilling trays. This creates the risk of exceeding the weekly tolerated dose of aluminum. According to the European Food Safety Authority, this is one milligram per kilogram of body weight.

Therefore, experts recommend limiting exposure to this metal. In particular, they caution against wrapping food in aluminum foil or using aluminum trays, especially with acidic products, because acids further facilitate the penetration of aluminum.