Drinking a litre of mineral water each day could reduce the amount of aluminum in our bodies and prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.
For decades scientists have suspected there might be a link between Alzheimer's disease and exposure to aluminium. So researchers from Keele University in the UK recruited 29 participants, including 15 with Alzheimer's disease, to drink one litre of silicone-rich mineral water a day for 12 weeks, in the hope it would counteract the negative effects of aluminium.
Silicone blocks aluminium from being absorbed by the body, and according to the researchers, eight of the 15 participants with Alzheimer's had no cognitive deterioration during the 12 weeks they drank mineral water. Three of them actually showed improvements in their cognitive function.
But Chris Hatherly, national research manager from Alzheimer's Australia, told ninemsn that the study was not very substantial.
"We actually don't have any good evidence that aluminum levels are associated with Alzheimer's disease," he said.
"There has been a myth around this for a long time. You have to remember that aluminum is the third most common element on earth. Everyone already has a huge amount in their bodies and as far as we can tell, it's not particularly harmful at all. The latest evidence is inconclusive and there is no evidence that people with exposure to aluminum go on to develop dementia."
If people want to ward off dementia, Hatherly says the best thing to do is maintain a healthy lifestyle.
"Look after your brain health, your physical health and look after your heart," he said.
"Do plenty of mentally challenging activities –– getting out and socialising with friends is one of the best things you can do for your brain."
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