Dietary citric acid enhances absorption of aluminum in antacids.
Ten healthy men ingested, twice daily between meals, during each of the seven-day experimental periods: (a) citric acid (as lemon juice), (b) Al(OH)3, or (c) Al(OH)3 + citric acid. Whole blood sampled after each dietary period was analyzed electrothermally after digestion with nitric acid. Moderate, but significant, increases in mean Al concentrations as compared with pretreatment values [5 (SD 3) micrograms of Al per liter] were seen after ingestion of either citric acid or Al(OH)3: 9 (SD 4) and 12 (SD 3) micrograms/L, respectively. Ingestion of both Al(OH)3 and citric acid resulted in a more pronounced, highly significant (p less than 0.001) increase in Al concentrations, to 23 (SD 2) micrograms Al/L, probably owing to formation and absorption of Al-citrate complexes.
D000328:Adult; D000535:Aluminum / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000863:Antacids / Q000378:metabolism*; D002951:Citrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019343:Citric Acid; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male
D000863:Antacids; D002951:Citrates; D019343:Citric Acid; D000535:Aluminum