The Claim:
A video of a “holistic pediatrician” from a public hearing at the Connecticut Capitol in 2020 claims that adjuvant boosters in vaccines cross the blood-brain barrier and cause many terrible health conditions.
The Facts:
Aluminum is the third most abundant element on earth and is present in many of the foods we eat, in much higher quantities than found in vaccines. Any aluminum injected from vaccines is metabolized in the body, and the vast majority of it is excreted within weeks
Is injecting aluminum different from ingesting it? Studies show us that the aluminum adjuvant is absorbed by the body so slowly that it raises the level of aluminum in the body negligibly. But does it cross the blood-brain barrier, as suggested in the video?
Because the blood-brain barrier is actually quite good at keeping out those things it doesn’t need, such as proteins and viruses, we can be assured that aluminum adjuvants do not cross this barrier. This excellent video by Dr. Paul Offit explains the details about how the BBB works to protect us and our brains.
Even though we are reassured that aluminum adjuvants do not cross the BBB, there are some studies that show people with Alzheimer’s may accumulate more aluminum in their brains, the causation is less clear. It may be the degeneration makes the brain more susceptible to collecting aluminum. But one 2001 study suggests that vaccines may protect against developing Alzheimer’s.
How about neurodevelopmental differences or autoimmune issues?
Plenty of evidence tells us that vaccines do not cause autism. Not only do the studies done to date show vaccines are not in any way linked to autism, but studies indicate disorganization of the prefrontal cortex in the brains of autistic people. This finding links autism to development that takes place before birth. Of all the risk factors for developing autism, we know genetics looks the most likely and being vaccinated is not among them.
While molecular mimicry is a real phenomenon, its portrayal in the speech as a widespread issue caused by vaccines is misleading. The immune system is highly sophisticated and capable of distinguishing between self and non-self. This article looks at current research to conclude that vaccines with aluminum adjuvants do not cause autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndromes. The article looked specifically at the two vaccines–Hep B and HPV–mentioned in the video.
Disclaimer: Science is always evolving and our understanding of these topics may have evolved too since this was originally posted. Be sure to check out our most recent posts and browse the latest Just the Facts Topics for the latest.
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