Shaklee Canada Inc.

952 Century Drive Tel. 905/681-1422

Burlington, ON L7L 5P2 Fax 905/681-0569

Technical Services Dept. Information Sheet Page 1 of 1

THE SAFETY OF ALUMINUM IN SHAKLEE PRODUCTS

In recent years, there has been renewed attention to aluminum in various consumer products
because persons with Alzheimer's disease were believed to have elevated levels of this metal in their
brain tissues. The concern was mostly about the possibility of ingesting excessive amounts of
aluminum from foods, aluminum pots and pans, or aluminum storage wrap or containers, but some
people were concerned about antiperspirants containing aluminum chlorhydrate.

Subsequent research has shown that the brain tissue of Alzheimer's victims has the same overall
content of aluminum as "normal" brain tissue but it is found concentrated in "pockets" rather than
being distributed evenly throughout the tissue. The cause of this "pocketing" of aluminum is not yet
known, nor has the true cause of Alzheimer's disease been discovered. The most popular theory is
that it's a hereditary disease, caused by faulty genes, but other theories suggest it may be caused by
an infection or neurotransmitter deficiencies.

Ingesting significant amounts of aluminum from the packaging of several Shaklee nutritional
products is virtually impossible. Shaklee Vita Bar® and Cinch® Bar wrappers are made of
aluminum, which acts as a mechanical and moisture barrier to protect the bars inside from damage
and spoilage. Because the aluminum layer is coated in turn with a layer of plastic laminate, the
aluminum itself does not contact the bar. Some of the powdered products in Shaklee's nutritional
product line are packaged in fibre-wound cans that contain a layer of aluminum as a moisture
barrier (e.g., Flavour-Enhanced Soy Protein, Instant Protein Soy Mix, etc.). There's no problem
with aluminum being transferred into these products because these drink mixes are dry, and there's
no acidic moisture that could leach the aluminum into them.

Similarly, the aluminum in Shaklee Roll-On Anti-Perspirant is not readily absorbed. In Canada,
anti-perspirants must by law contain aluminum or aluminum-zirconium compounds, as they are the
only compounds that, when applied topically, are safe and effective in controlling perspiration.
Provided there are no open lesions on the skin, there will be no transfer of aluminum from the
product into the bloodstream during application – the product works at the surface of the skin to
block the pores that release perspiration. (Aerosol anti-perspirants, on the other hand, can pose a
problem of aluminum ingestion if the overspray from the can is inhaled into the lungs. Since
Shaklee's product is a cream and not a spray, there's no danger of this happening.)

We have no reason to believe that the uses of aluminum in Shaklee products, as explained above,
represent a health risk of any kind.

Last Updated: March 22, 2007 Filename: Aluminum