Aluminum retention by aged rats fed aluminum and treated with desferrioxamine

Our primary purpose was to assess the impact of chronic exposure to dietary aluminum on aging rats. Male rats were fed diets containing 0.4 or 36.8 mumol Al/g diet for 8 months until 23 months of age. The aging rats fed supplemental aluminum accumulated more aluminum in sera, tibias, and kidneys than control rats, but accumulated similar concentrations of aluminum in bone as young rats fed aluminum for short periods of time in previous studies. Although the rats had increased bone turnover (as indicated by urinary hydroxyproline excretion) after 22 months of age, the amount of bone turnover was not sufficient to explain the urinary excretion of aluminum by the aged rats.