Can Aluminum Be Absorbed From Antiperspirants?

Q. I have read that antiperspirants could be dangerous because the aluminum they contain can be absorbed into the body. Is there any basis to this?
A. The association between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease has been controversial for decades. Research suggests, however, that high doses can be neurotoxic.
Investigators have found that the aluminum in antiperspirants can be absorbed through the skin, but concluded that levels were too low to be dangerous. A case reported in the American Journal of Medicine (Dec. 15, 2004) suggests that may not always be true. One woman developed bone pain and fatigue after four years of daily antiperspirant use. Her blood aluminum levels were elevated. After stopping the antiperspirant, her aluminum levels decreased and symptoms resolved.