The postulated innocuity of lifetime exposure to aluminium should be reappraised.

Because of its chemical versatility and abundance in nature, aluminium is employed in a myriad of frequently used products - including cosmetics and food additives - and applications - drinking water purification procedures being an example. Despite what its widespread use might suggest, aluminium's harmlessness is a matter of debate in the scientific community. In this article we trace the lines of a growing questioning about the potential mutagenic effects of this metal, due to the data produced over the recent years, and with an eye to the discussions currently underway in this regard between the scientific community, industry, and regulatory bodies.

Aluminum Enters Mammalian Cells and Destabilizes Chromosome Structure and Number.

Chromosome instability (CIN) consists of high rates of structural and numerical chromosome abnormalities and is a well-known hallmark of cancer. Aluminum is added to many industrial products of frequent use. Yet, it has no known physiological role and is a suspected human carcinogen.

Aluminium chloride promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis in normal murine mammary gland epithelial cells.

Aluminium salts, present in many industrial products of frequent use like antiperspirants, anti-acid drugs, food additives and vaccines, have been incriminated in contributing to the rise in breast cancer incidence in Western societies. However, current experimental evidence supporting this hypothesis is limited. For example, no experimental evidence that aluminium promotes tumorigenesis in cultured mammary epithelial cells exists.

If exposure to aluminium in antiperspirants presents health risks, its content should be reduced.

Since aluminium (Al) pervades our environment, the scientific community has for many years raised concerns regarding its safety in humans. Al is present in numerous cosmetics such as antiperspirants, lipsticks and sunscreens. Al chlorohydrate is the active antiperspirant agent in underarm cosmetics and may constitute for Al a key exposure route to the human body and a potential source of damage.