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The Influence of Aluminum Sulfate and Aluminum Hydroxide upon the Absorption of Dietary Phosphorus by the Rat¹

Research Laboratories, Winthrop Chemical Company, Inc., Rensselaer, New York

When aluminum sulfate was fed in amounts chemically equivalent to the phosphorus in the ration, essentially all of the phosphorus was rendered unavailable. On the other hand, when aluminum hydroxide was fed to young rats at levels of 0.5 and 1.0% of the diet about one-third to one-fourth of the aluminum was converted to a form reacting with phosphorus.⁴

⁴ Dick and Eisele ('42) have recently referred to our preliminary report (Street and Barlow, '41) as the basis in part for their statement, "The use of aluminum hydroxide and aluminum sulfate, which recently has become quite widespread, may have deleterious effects. Therapeutic doses may interfere with the absorption of inorganic phosphate from the intestinal tract, thereby deranging the calcium metabolism of the body." This statement is misleading. Aluminum sulfate is not, to our knowledge, used medicinally. The maximal therapeutic dose of aluminum hydroxide gel by normal oral administration recommended by the A.M.A. Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry ('41) would supply not more than 64 cc. in 24 hours. This amount of 5.5% gel would furnish 3.66 gm. of Al(OH)₃. If 30% of this were changed to soluble form as indicated by our experimental data it would combine with 0.44 gm. of P, since 1 gm. of aluminum hydroxide is equivalent to 0.4 gm. P. If a dietary contains 1.32 gm. of P, the level recommended by Sherman ('37), the precipitation of 0.44 gm. P leaves 0.88 gm. available, which is the figure given by Sherman as the minimal maintenance level for a 70 kg. adult. Thus, our data do not support the conclusions drawn from them by Dick and Eisele.

Manuscript received 18 March 1942.