Aluminum poisoning when using alum to deodorize the body

At the hospital, the patient said that for about 10 years now, he has been regularly using roasted alum, ground into powder, and applied to his armpits twice a day to treat underarm odor.

With a history of using alum for many years in the armpit area, the patient was ordered to have a test. The test results showed that the aluminum concentration in the blood and urine was higher than the allowable level: the aluminum index in the blood was 12.5 mcg/liter and the urine was 47.37 mcg/24 hours. Meanwhile, according to the standard, the aluminum concentration in the blood should not exceed 12 mcg/liter and the urine should be below 12 mcg/24 hours. The patient's kidney function was still normal, so the doctor determined that the increased aluminum concentration in the body was not due to kidney failure. After nearly 1 month of treatment, the patient was stable and was discharged from the hospital with advice to return for a check-up and take medication as prescribed.

Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital, commented: "This is the first time the center has received a case of aluminum poisoning from the outside through the skin, from a very common product in life."

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According to Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, alum is a potassium aluminum sulfate salt. In fact, aluminum compounds are still used to prepare and treat diseases such as drugs that coat the gastric mucosa to treat stomach diseases and cure body odor. Aluminum and aluminum compounds are also commonly used in food additives, pharmaceuticals, consumer products (such as kitchen utensils) and in drinking water treatment (water filters, etc.). However, according to research to date, the amount of aluminum entering the body from these sources is insignificant, if the items, additives, and pharmaceuticals are manufactured according to standards and used with the correct indications and dosages.

Aluminum poisoning often occurs in occupational environments and industries. Aluminum in the body accumulates and attaches to the bones, so it is difficult and time-consuming to eliminate aluminum from the body. Aluminum poisoning causes hypochromic anemia similar to iron deficiency but is ineffective in treatment, causing osteomalacia, brain disease (manifestations of speech disorders, difficulty speaking, stuttering, muteness, abnormal electroencephalogram, muscle spasms, convulsions, dementia, etc.).

Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen recommends: With alum, people should not apply it on the skin for a long time. They should use skin care products with clear origins. People with gastroduodenal diseases should see a doctor and get a safe prescription, and should not use drugs to protect the stomach lining for a long time, especially when there is kidney failure.