Aluminum in coffee

[chris]

Consumerlab.com posted a blurb about aluminum exposure from various coffee brewing methods. Here is their summary:

A study evaluated how much aluminum is introduced into coffee brewed with an aluminum coffee pot or aluminum coffee capsules (such as Nespresso capsules), versus a steel pot, filter machine, or Turkish pot. It found that coffee grinds actually remove aluminum from the water used for brewing. However, aluminum coffee pots (but not aluminum capsules or other brewing methods) cause a net increase in aluminum in brewed coffee versus the water, although the amount of added aluminum in coffee brewed in aluminum pots was small and would contribute little to average aluminum intake per week (0.25 mg compared to average intake of 11.2 to 91 mg), but the researchers suggested that brewing methods without aluminum components should be preferred (Windisch, ACS Omega 2020).

The full study citation is: Windisch, J., Keppler, B. K., & Jirsa, F. (2020). Aluminum in Coffee. ACS omega, 5(25), 15335-15343.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7331030/

There is a very long discussion thread on this site about Aluminum as a possible cause for AD. I'm not weighing in on that debate, but for those worried about their aluminum intake from coffee, this paper provides some data.

[laurie]

I am so pleased to see that consumer labs has posted a study which analyzed for aluminum but I am concerned about some of the conclusions they draw from the testing results. I hadn’t seen this report so thank you Chris for sharing.

Consumer reports is correct, some coffee makers are a source of aluminum. Consumer Reports only tested one drip style coffee maker and did not give the manufacturer. My husband Dennis N Crouse who is a chemist has tested several coffee makers for the amount of aluminum they add to coffee. Most drip style coffee makers are a source of aluminum because the water comes in contact with aluminum during the heating process. Here are results of my husband's testing of a drip style coffee maker. "The Black and Decker Model 1050 used for 1 year with hard water makes coffee with an aluminum level of 264% (264 mcg/L) of the World Health Organization’s maximum level in drinking water." WHO recommends a limit of 100mcg/liter of aluminum in drinking water.

Consumer labs also tested an aluminum moka pot which added more aluminum than the drip style. These results are not surprising. My husband boiled water in an aluminum pot and here are the results. "Filling a new aluminum caldera made by Imusa with fluoridated (i.e., 0.5ppm fluoride) tap water and heating it at 350 degrees F for 1 hour resulted in 770mcg/L of aluminum being added to the water." This aluminum level is 700 % of the WHO maximum level allowed in drinking water.

Based on my husband’s testing reported above the conclusion by consumer reports: "although the amount of added aluminum in coffee brewed in aluminum pots was small" is not accurate. Dangerous levels of aluminum can be added by some coffee machine especially ones that have been used for a while. Aluminum corrodes at a higher rate in older coffee makers resulting in higher aluminum in the coffee. The consumer lab report said the coffee pots were all new.

Consumer reports also tested something like a K cups (they called them capsules) and found they don’t add aluminum to the coffee. My husband also tested a Nespresso cup and it did not add aluminum.

Here is a link to more testing my husband did. There is a link to a video where my husband takes apart a coffee maker and shows the aluminum tubing which is where the aluminum comes from. https://prevent-alzheimers-autism-stro ... fee-maker/


Here are some aluminum free drip style coffee makers.
Krups Mocha brew
Bunn Speed/Velocity Brew
Braun coffee maker model KF7000
Capresso MG 900
Beautiful Coffee Maker

[chris]

Based on my husband’s testing reported above the conclusion by consumer reports: "although the amount of added aluminum in coffee brewed in aluminum pots was small" is not accurate.

Laurie, your husband's website reports the aluminum content of water brewed through coffee makers, but doesn't seem to test brewed coffee (that is, water brewed through coffee grounds). Is that correct? The wording is somewhat ambiguous so I'm not sure.

The reason I ask is because the article found that coffee grounds are surprisingly good at filtering out aluminum (basically, removing as much aluminum as is added by the heating element). Your husband's findings with old vs. new coffee makers is very interesting, and I can easily see how a corroded heating element would lead to much greater aluminum concentration.

However, I think all of this needs to be viewed alongside numerous findings that greater coffee intake is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia. So either a) aluminum content in brewed coffee is insignificant (perhaps due to the filtering effects of the coffee grounds), b) the aluminum present in coffee is not a major causal factor for AD, or c) caffeine (or some other attribute of coffee) has protective effects that outweigh any harm caused by the aluminum content of the water.

The Technivorm Moccamaster has a copper heating element (according to the company) and is constantly praised by coffee snobs. I am tempted to get one of those just for the sake of better coffee.

[laurie]

Laurie, your husband's website reports the aluminum content of water brewed through coffee makers, but doesn't seem to test brewed coffee (that is, water brewed through coffee grounds). Is that correct? The wording is somewhat ambiguous so I'm not sure.

The reason I ask is because the article found that coffee grounds are surprisingly good at filtering out aluminum (basically, removing as much aluminum as is added by the heating element). Your husband's findings with old vs. new coffee makers is very interesting, and I can easily see how a corroded heating element would lead to much greater aluminum concentration.

You are correct my husband did not test brewed coffee for aluminum. Thanks for looking at our website.

Here are some things to consider: coffee beans vary greatly in the amount of aluminum they contain, coffee pots vary in the amount of aluminum they add to the coffee

Personally after what I have learned aluminum does to your body and brain I would not drink coffee to protect myself from Alzheimer's. Aluminum interferes with hundreds of processes.

I encourage you to read my husband's 4th book where uses Causal Inference (Judah Pearl, The book of Why) and proves aluminum causes all the biomarkers of Alzheimer's.

https://prevent-alzheimers-autism-strok ... causation/

[chris]

I encourage you to read my husband's 4th book where uses Causal Inference (Judah Pearl, The book of Why) and proves aluminum causes all the biomarkers of Alzheimer's.

The problem with his book (and I believe all of his research on AD) is that it is not peer-reviewed. In order to know whether his use of causal inference is valid or seriously flawed, I would first have to become an expert in causal inference myself. I’ve actually read Judea Pearl’s book, but wouldn’t pretend to be an expert, especially when my own life is potentially on the line.

The fact that your husband’s work is not peer reviewed is itself potentially indicative of the validity of his conclusions. I don’t mean this as a personal attack, but this is a forum read by lots of people who may not understand the importance of peer review in scientific research. In my opinion it would be best to limit this particular discussion board (Science and Research) to peer-reviewed studies.

[laurie]

The problem with his book (and I believe all of his research on AD) is that it is not peer-reviewed. In order to know whether his use of causal inference is valid or seriously flawed, I would first have to become an expert in causal inference myself. I’ve actually read Judea Pearl’s book, but wouldn’t pretend to be an expert, especially when my own life is potentially on the line.

In all four of Dennis’ books the research/studies presented are referenced and all are peer reviewed studies.

The manuscripts of all of Dennis’ books have been sent to experts in the field prior to publication. Comments received were incorporated prior to publication. These people are acknowledged in his books.

In Dennis’ 1st book he uses Bradford Hill’s Criteria for causation based upon human data. As you know he used Causal Inference in his 4th book.