The use of products containing aluminum has always been associated with the fear that they cause various diseases, including cancer, and from time to time questions arise regarding the degree of safety of using these products.

Aluminum is a light, silvery-white metal that is most common in the earth's crust, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a very reactive element, which is never found in a free state in nature, but is found with other elements, mainly oxygen, silicon and fluorine.

Aluminum is found in a number of consumer products, the most important of which are antacids, aspirin neutralizers, food additives, antiperspirants and cosmetics.

Aluminum foil is a shiny sheet of aluminum metal, produced by rolling large sheets of aluminum to a thickness of less than 0.2 mm.

People use aluminum foil to store food, for baking, grilling, to cover baking surfaces and to package food such as meat, to prevent moisture loss during cooking.

The aluminum foil is not dangerous, and baking in the oven with the pan covered with foil can increase the amount of aluminum in your food. However, these amounts are very small and considered safe, according to a Healthline report.

Are aluminum utensils harmful to health? The Canadian government issued a notice on the safe use of cookware, stating that "Canadians typically consume 10 milligrams of aluminum per day, mostly from food. Aluminum pots and pans save only 1 milligram of this amount. The World Health Organization estimates that adults can consume more than 50 milligrams of aluminum on a day without harm".

Aluminum from food is generally not harmful, but several studies have shown that those exposed to high levels of it may develop Alzheimer's disease. However, other studies have contradicted the assertion.

Although oral products containing aluminum are considered safe for healthy people in recommended doses (eg antacids), some side effects have been observed after long-term use of some of them.

In general, exposure to levels of aluminum naturally found in food and water and forms of aluminum found in aluminum utensils are not considered harmful.

Eating large amounts of processed food containing aluminum additives or frequently cooking acidic foods in aluminum utensils may expose the person to higher levels of aluminum, compared to those who normally consume unprocessed food and use utensils made of other materials such as stainless steel or glass.

However, the levels of aluminum found in processed foods and foods cooked in aluminum utensils are generally considered safe.

And what about the connection of aluminum to cancer? Aluminum has not been proven to cause cancer, and the fact that workers near aluminum metal are at a higher risk of cancer is due to their exposure to other chemicals, not aluminum.

Dr. Robert Yukel, professor of toxicology at the University of Kentucky who studies aluminum, told "USA Today": "There is no good evidence that aluminum causes cancer."

And what about aluminum in vaccines, is it harmful? The World Health Organization said vaccines may contain adjuvants such as aluminum phosphate, aluminum hydroxide, potassium sulfate and aluminum, but aluminum has not been shown to cause long-term health problems.

Vaccination (Photo: David Cohen, Flash 90)

According to the organization and the American Food and Drug Administration, the FDA, levels below 2 mg per 1 kg of body weight per week are not expected to cause health problems.

When it comes to aluminum in deodorants – we have to differentiate between two products: antiperspirant deodorants that contain aluminum to reduce sweat production and deodorants that do not contain aluminum.

According to "Healthline", it is not clear whether antiperspirant deodorants can accumulate in your body, and it is more likely that it could reach you from other sources such as medications.

However, experts believe that the use of antiperspirant deodorants is not a good idea for everyone, and especially not for those suffering from severe kidney disease in whom the ability of the kidneys to excrete aluminum from the body is less, and then it may accumulate in the body.