Aluminum in Deodorant & Antiperspirant: What You Should Know

Applying deodorant or antiperspirant is a hallmark of the American hygiene routine. With different scents, strengths, and application methods, there seems to be an option for everyone. But in recent years, people have grown increasingly concerned about the aluminum in deodorants and antiperspirants and its many potential side effects.

Does aluminum cause cancer?
Does aluminum cause constipation?
Does aluminum cause brain damage?

These questions and concerns are warranted. It seems like a new report or study surfaces monthly, linking hygiene product ingredients to a myriad of health issues. To give you a better understanding of what’s just social media fearmongering and what problems are genuinely concerning, Lovett Sundries is highlighting a variety of eye-opening studies and answering some of the most frequently asked questions about aluminum in deodorant and antiperspirant.

The Difference Between Deodorant & Antiperspirant

Before delving into the adverse effects of aluminum, it’s helpful to differentiate deodorant from antiperspirant. While both are made to reduce body odor, they do it in different ways.

Deodorant works by increasing the skin’s acidity, typically through an alcohol-based ingredient. This increased acidity minimizes bacteria and armpit odor but not perspiration. Often, deodorant also contains some kind of fragrance to mask the odor further.

On the other hand, antiperspirant works by blocking sweat pores, generally through an aluminum-based compound, reducing the amount of sweat that reaches your skin. Like deodorant, antiperspirants often contain fragrances to cover up odors.

Interestingly, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers deodorant a cosmetic—a product “intended to cleanse or beautify.” Conversely, the FDA classifies antiperspirants as a drug—a product “intended to treat or prevent disease, or affect the structure or function of the body, are drugs.”

Health Effects of Aluminum

There are a growing number of claims that the aluminum in antiperspirants is linked to a wide variety of health issues. From cancer and kidney disease to allergies and Alzheimer's, the array of posited side effects can make it sound as bad as asbestos. When considering if aluminum is harmful, it’s essential to look at what’s rooted in research and what’s simply the ramblings of a social media health influencer.

Can Aluminum Cause Cancer?

Let’s start with the good news: If you’ve found yourself consuming health and wellness content online, it’s more than likely that you’ve read, listened to, or watched something that insinuated that aluminum in antiperspirant is linked to breast cancer. Nevertheless, the American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, and Cleveland Clinic, among many others, concluded that there is no “clear” link between antiperspirant use and the development of breast cancer.

However, some researchers have theorized that aluminum compounds in antiperspirants may be absorbed through the skin and cause changes in estrogen receptors in breast cells. Their hypothesis comes from the fact that estrogen promotes the growth of both cancer and non-cancer breast cells. Therefore, some scientists suggest that using aluminum-based compounds in antiperspirants could be a risk factor for breast cancer.

That said, some studies show that the absorption of aluminum is negligible. A study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology looked at people’s absorption of aluminum over a seven-week period from antiperspirants containing aluminum chlorohydrate and found that only a tiny fraction of it (0.012%) was absorbed. This amount of aluminum is much less than what would likely be absorbed from a person's foods during the same timeframe.

Now for the bad news: While few studies examine aluminum’s link to breast cancer, it doesn't mean these studies aren’t important to consider.

A recent study in mice was particularly disconcerting. Researchers at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, reported that long-term exposure to aluminum concentrations—in the form of aluminum chloride (AlCl3)—in the range of those measured in the human breast could be carcinogenic.

Further, the University of Innsbruck, Austria, ran a study that suggested that the “frequent use of underarm cosmetic products may be related to incorporated aluminum concentration in breast tissue,” which could increase the risk of breast cancer.

Brass tacks: More research is needed. Until then, we recommend playing it safe and finding aluminum-free deodorant and antiperspirant.

Can Aluminum Affect Your Body’s Ability to Remove Toxins?

There are lymph nodes in our armpits. These lymph nodes help clear out bacteria, viruses, and other threats. But it’s a misnomer that lymph nodes release waste or toxins through sweating. Lymph nodes are not connected to sweat glands at all.

Further, the primary function of sweat glands is to help cool the body, not to get rid of toxins. Most toxins are removed from the body via the kidneys and liver and ultimately excreted through urine and feces.

However, just because most toxins are removed from the body through urine and feces doesn’t mean sweating doesn’t play a role in detoxification.

While we sweat from just about any part of our body, armpits have a significant concentration of eccrine and apocrine glands, two types of sweat glands. The Journal of Environmental and Public Health noted that we can excrete arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat, leading researchers to suggest sweating could be an excellent way to detox.

Can Aluminum Affect Your Hormones?

Various studies suggest that aluminum-containing antiperspirants may be absorbed by the skin (albeit in a small amount) and cause an increased “estrogen-like effect” on the body. A United Kingdom study published in The Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry found that aluminum can interfere with the function of estrogen receptors potentially increasing the risk of breast cancer.

Likewise, a recent study published in the Journal of Molecular Biochemistry indicated that aluminum interferes with estrogen signaling. A study with rats also suggests that aluminum may cause thyroid gland issues.

Can Aluminum Affect Your Kidneys?

There is a reason the FDA requires manufacturers of antiperspirant products to add a warning to their label that says, “Ask a doctor before use if you have kidney disease.” Although the average person does not have kidney disease, this statement tells us that aluminum does have at least some impact on kidney function.

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has asserted that antiperspirants with aluminum are safe. Yet animal studies have indicated that aluminum exposure can cause pathological changes and injury to the kidneys.

Some highly-regarded researchers also believe we’re too quick to discard aluminum’s possible effects, as it may be linked to inflammatory conditions, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Research published in Frontiers in Oncology even noted that hypotheses about aluminum’s dangers have been grossly dismissed or underestimated in much the same way as asbestos once was.

Can Aluminum Cause Alzheimer’s Disease?

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that aluminum could promote memory disorders and Alzheimer’s Disease. In the book Aluminium and Alzheimer’s Disease: The Science that Describes the Link, author C. Exley summarizes his research by stating:

The neurotoxicity of aluminum is well described. It poses a very significant risk for patients suffering from renal failure who cannot excrete the element well. They may develop an encephalopathy due to aluminum neurotoxicity, which is similar in several ways to Alzheimer’s disease. In the latter condition, there is animal and human evidence for the role of aluminum in its genesis.

Researchers at Shandong University in China also found that chronic aluminum exposure was associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also clear that circulatory levels of aluminum, mercury, and cadmium are significantly higher in patients with Alzheimer’s.

It’s Not Just Aluminum

Big-box manufacturers use synthetic preservatives in many deodorants and antiperspirants called parabens. In many ways, parabens may actually be worse than aluminum. In fact, a growing body of research shows that they cause a myriad of hormonal effects that may result in:

• Diminished brain function
• Fluctuations in cholesterol
• Increased blood sugar
• Poor immune function
• Fertility issues
• Weight gain

Here is another problem: Corporations have a history of running “product-defense campaigns.” Perhaps the most notorious example of this strategy is Monsanto’s weaponization of the web, where they actively buried research and discredited public concerns about the dangers of glyphosate. Moreover, people need to worry about more than just deodorant and antiperspirant—harmful chemicals are found in everything from moisturizers and shaving creams to shampoos and conditioners.

Finding Natural Alternatives

More epidemiological studies are needed to determine the real ramifications of using aluminum in antiperspirants. However, while the research on this topic is limited, there is enough evidence to warrant caution when selecting hygiene products.

As an important aside, Marit, co-founder of Lovett Sundries, had breast cancer in 2012. It's actually what inspired us to develop a personal care brand that reduces the number of unnecessary chemicals, including antiperspirant ingredients like aluminum. We were never sure that all those extra ingredients were bad, but getting rid of as much as possible made sense.

Out of an abundance of caution and a commitment to sustainability, Lovett Sundries’ deodorant is free of artificial fragrances, colorants, EDTA, glutens, parabens, phthalates, or sulfates, and our packaging is also plastic-free.

What’s more, all of our products are cruelty-free, all-natural, and zero-waste. You can also feel good about your purchase as we make all of our aluminum-free deodorants in the heart of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. If you would like to learn more about our products, please visit our online store.