Aluminium Chlorohydrate Safety

Aluminium chlorohydrate, also called ACH, it is a simple form of a group of FDA-recognized Aluminium-based salts that can be used to reduce underarm wetness in underarm antiperspirant products. ACH Aluminium chlorohydrate is also widely used in drinking water purification and industrial wastewater treatment to remove the total suspended solids(TSS), oil, turbidity and some insoluble BOD, COD.

ACH Aluminium chlorohydrate. Molecular Formula: Al₂(OH)₅Cl·2H₂O. Molecular Weight: 210.48.
According to the Certification for Safe Transport of Chemicals, Aluminium chlorohydrate is not classified in Explosive. Aluminium chlorohydrate is not classified in Flammable Substances. Aluminium chlorohydrate is not classified in Oxidizing Substances and Organic Peroxides. Aluminium chlorohydrate is not classified in Toxic and Infectious Substances. Aluminium chlorohydrate is not classified in Radioactive Materials. Aluminium chlorohydrate is not classified in Corrosives. Aluminium chlorohydrate presents no other dangerous properties. Aluminium chlorohydrate is safe to be transported both by air and by sea.

For Using in Drinking Water Purification as Flocculant and Coagulant:
The performance of ACH Aluminium chlorohydrate is much better than PAC on both the turbidity control and Aluminium residue. By well controlling the dosage of ACH Aluminium chlorohydrate, Aluminium residue even can’t be detected in treated outlet water, with less Aluminium residue. ACH Aluminium chlorohydrate is in NSF(National Sanitation Foundation) Official Listings as Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals - Coagulation & Flocculation, which proving ACH Aluminium chlorohydrate safety for drinking water treatment.

For Using as Raw Materials for Cosmetics:
ACH Aluminium chlorohydrate is one of the 18 Aluminium-based active ingredients approved by the Food and Drug Association for use in over the counter underarm antiperspirant products. Aluminium chlorohydrate works by forming a temporary plug within the sweat duct that help reduce the flow of sweat to the skin's surface. While the Aluminium chlorohydrate reduces the amount of sweat on the skin surface, the ingredient also creates a skin environment which is hostile to the growth of malodor-producing bacteria to help reduce underarm odor.

There are 18 Aluminium-based salts recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration to reduce underarm wetness. These include a number of forms of Aluminium-based salts including Aluminium chloride, Aluminium chlorohydrate, and Aluminium zirconium salts. Among these options, Aluminium chloride is the simplest form but its inherent acidity means that it can be damaging to many fabrics and some may find it irritating to the underarm. ACH Aluminium chlorohydrate is the simplest salt that is not damaging to fabric and is generally well-tolerated on the skin.

To the millions of people who use Aluminium-based antiperspirants daily, they may have wondered about Aluminium chlorohydrate safety: Is the product I've been applying to my body every day for years really putting my health at risk? Is Aluminium chlorohydrate safe to use?

Antiperspirants and Cancer
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a part of the National Institutes of Health, are not aware of any conclusive evidence linking the use of underarm antiperspirants and the development of breast cancer. It says:
No studies to date have confirmed any substantial adverse effects of Aluminium that could contribute to increased breast cancer risks. A 2014 review concluded there was no clear evidence showing that the use of Aluminium-containing underarm antiperspirants or cosmetics increases the risk of breast cancer.”

Antiperspirants and Alzheimer's Disease
Back in the 1960s, a few studies found high levels of Aluminium in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. The research suddenly called into question the safety of everyday household items such as Aluminium cans, antacids, and antiperspirants.

But the findings of these early studies weren’t replicated in later research, and experts have essentially ruled out Aluminium as a possible cause of Alzheimer's. There was a lot of research that looked at the link between Alzheimer's and Aluminium, and there hasn't been any definitive evidence to suggest there is a link.

According to the experts interviewed for this story, the Aluminium in antiperspirants doesn't even typically make its way into the body. The Aluminium salts do not work as antiperspirants by being absorbed in the body. They work by forming a chemical reaction with the water in the sweat to form a physical plug... which is deposited in the sweat duct, producing a blockage in the areas that it's applied. Even with nicks from shaving, the amount is so negligible that it doesn't make a whole lot of scientific sense."

Antiperspirants and Kidney Disease
Concerns about antiperspirants and kidney disease were first raised many years ago, when dialysis patients were given a drug called Aluminium hydroxide to help control high phosphorus levels in their blood. Because their kidneys weren't functioning properly, their bodies couldn't remove the Aluminium fast enough, and it began accumulating. Scientists noticed that dialysis patients who had these high Aluminium levels were more likely to develop dementia.

As a result, the FDA requires antiperspirant labels to carry a warning that reads, "Ask a doctor before use if you have kidney disease." Yet this warning is only meant for people whose kidneys are functioning at 30% or less.

In reality, it's almost impossible to absorb enough Aluminium through the skin to harm the kidneys. "Unless you eat your stick or spray it into your mouth, your body can't absorb that much Aluminium," says nephrologist Leslie Spry, MD, FACP, spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation.

Conclusion - Aluminium chlorohydrate safety:
Based on a thorough review of the literature available, and the recommendations of the American Cancer Society and the Alzheimer’s Association, we believe that the use of Aluminium chlorohydrate is safe.

If you are concerned about the risk of Alzheimer’s or breast cancer, we encourage you to contact your healthcare professional to address your individual circumstances.

As recommended by the FDA, you should consult your doctor about the use of antiperspirant if you suffer from kidney disease. Since the kidneys play an important role in eliminating Aluminium from the body, the FDA decided it was prudent to alert consumers who have kidney disease to the fact that their exposure to Aluminium from use of antiperspirants might need to be discussed with their physician in order to make sure that the Aluminium will not accumulate in the body. As with any OTC product, antiperspirants should be kept away from children.