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. 2008 Dec;46(12):3659-63.
doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2008.09.041. Epub 2008 Sep 21.

Aluminum bioavailability from tea infusion

Robert A Yokel  1 , Rebecca L Florence
Affiliations

Aluminum bioavailability from tea infusion

Robert A Yokel et al. Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 Dec.

Abstract

The objective was to estimate oral Al bioavailability from tea infusion in the rat, using the tracer (26)Al. (26)Al citrate was injected into tea leaves. An infusion was prepared from the dried leaves and given intra-gastrically to rats which received concurrent intravenous (27)Al infusion. Oral Al bioavailability (F) was calculated from the area under the (26)Al, compared to (27)Al, serum concentration x time curves. Bioavailability from tea averaged 0.37%; not significantly different from water (F=0.3%), or basic sodium aluminum phosphate (SALP) in cheese (F=0.1-0.3%), but greater than acidic SALP in a biscuit (F=0.1%). Time to maximum serum (26)Al concentration was 1.25, 1.5, 8 and 4.8h, respectively. These results of oral Al bioavailability x daily consumption by the human suggest tea can provide a significant amount of the Al that reaches systemic circulation. This can allow distribution to its target organs of toxicity, the central nervous, skeletal and hematopoietic systems. Further testing of the hypothesis that Al contributes to Alzheimer's disease may be more warranted with studies focusing on total average daily food intake, including tea and other foods containing appreciable Al, than drinking water.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest for this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Concentration of 26Al in serum versus time after consumption of 26Al in a tea infusion. The values are mean ± SD from 8 rats.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Concentration of 26Al in serum versus time after consumption of 26Al in water. The values are mean from 5 rats at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 h; 24 to 26 rats at 1 h; 5 rats at 1.25 and 1.5 h; 24 to 26 rats at 2, 4, 8 and 24 h and 3 rats at 72 h.
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