Pesticide Exposure, Military Service Linked To Increased Risk of ALS: Study

Individuals who are persistently exposed to environmental pollutants, such as toxic pesticides, may face a higher risk of developing Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS, according to the findings of new research. 

In a study published this week in the medical journal JAMA Neurology, researchers tested participants’ blood for environmental pollutants, including pesticides, flame retardants and other toxic chemicals, and found those with high levels of certain chemicals and those who were in the military were more likely to also have the rapidly progressive and fatal neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

University of Michigan researchers conducted a case-control study involving 156 individuals with ALS and compared them to 128 controls, taking blood samples and surveying their exposure to chemicals and environmental pollutants, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and brominated flame retardants (BFRs)..

Participants who reported cumulative chemical exposure to two types of OCPs, pentachlorobenzene and cis-chlordane, two types of PCBs, PCB 175 and 202, and polybrominated diphenyl ether had increased risk of having ALS.

Those with high exposures to the chemicals during their work history overall and residential or work history 10 to 30 years ago had increased risk of having ALS.

“We report that service in the US military is statistically or marginally significant in multiple exposure windows, agreeing with reports that military personnel are high-risk populations for ALS. While triggers remain unknown, suspected risk factors include environmental exposures, multiple vaccinations, physical activity, and traumatic injury,” the researchers said of their findings. “Similar to our initial report of survey data, we again found associations of ALS with reported occupational pesticide use and lower educational attainment.”

ALS is a degenerative disease where nerve cells break down over time, affecting a person’s ability to chew, swallow, speak and breathe. The condition affects about 20,000 people each year in the U.S. Recently, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral helping to raise awareness for the disease and raised $115 million for research toward the cure.

Past research has shown a link between chemical exposure and ALS risk. Researchers say the chemicals in pesticides and other toxic substances may affect the way the nerves function; but more research is needed to determine the true effect chemical exposure has on ALS.