Metabolic balance of aluminum studied in six men.
The metabolism of aluminum was followed in patients who were receiving strictly controlled diets, either unaltered or supplemented with aluminum-containing antacids. Aluminum was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with a graphite furnace. All food, water, and medications were analyzed, as were aliquots of urine and stool collected throughout six-day periods. Patients were usually studied for five consecutive six-day periods on the same diet and aluminum intake. This study included six patients who were studied for seven to 21 such six-day periods. During control periods, when the patients were receiving less than 5 mg of aluminum per day, the balance was usually slightly negative, but when the diet was supplemented with antacids to contain 1--3 g of aluminum per day, an average positive balance of 23 to 313 mg of aluminum per day was observed for the total time on the same intake. Consecutive six-day periods while a subject was receiving antacids might show either positive or negative balances, but the average retention for 18--84 days on antacids was always positive. Thus the potential effects of the storage of aluminum in the tissues must be considered in the chronic administration of antacids.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000535:Aluminum / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D000863:Antacids / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
D000863:Antacids; D000535:Aluminum