Lawn Chemicals May Trigger Lou Gehrig’s Disease
July 14th, 2009 Posted in Organic & Chemical Pesticides
Recent studies have shown that exposure to chemicals found in common household and industrial pesticides have been correlated to a drastically increased probability of contracting the neurodegenerative disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. A large portion of the data pointing to this correlation has been gathered from studies attempting to pinpoint the reasons behind the relatively high proportion of professional soccer players that have contracted ALS.
Until the last few years, the cause of this trend has been attributed to doping, the use of painkillers, as well as the common practice of heading the ball. However, studies are underway in Britain and Italy aiming to cement a connection between the use of unnatural pitch treatments and the high propensity of players to contract the disorder. 51 professional and amateur players have died from the disease in Italy alone, over 6 times the average for the general population, says Turin Magistrate Rafaelle Guariniello, who has run statistical checks on all players in the top three Italian soccer divisions from the 1960s to 2006.
Adrian Chio’, a neurologist from the University of Turin, has also headed up an independent study into this connection. After monitoring the health of 7325 professionals who have played in Italy’s top two divisions (Serie A and Serie B) between 1970 and 2001, the study found 5 prevalent cases of ALS. The average prevalence found in a sample of the same size taken from the general population is about .77.
The research also found that ALS strikes soccer players at a younger age. The average age of appearance in the general populace is 63, contrasting greatly with the average age of appearance in soccer players of 43. Chio’ has pointed out that soccer pitches have been treated with commercial weedkillers similar if not exactly the same as those used by farmers who have also shown a high propensity for the disease. The same chemicals can also be found in anti-inflammatory drugs commonly used by soccer players.
Former Milan, Fiorentina and Italy player Stefano Borgonovo. Photograph: Lohmann/AP
Two unrelated studies into the high prevalence of ALS in veterans of the Persian Gulf War show another link between exposure to chemicals found in pesticides, particularly those in the organophosphate family, and a high rate of ALS development. The Department of Defense identified the destruction of an Iraqi ammunition dump as the main exposure of soldiers to the chemical agents sarin and cyclosarin (found in the organophosphate family), also commonly used in inorganic pesticides.
The destruction of the ammo dump, which occurred in March of 1991 in Khamisiyah, exposed 32,000 soldiers to these nerve agents. These studies compared the national rate of ALS development with that of veteran development and found that the ALS, which affects approximately 30,000 US citizens from the ages of 50 to 70, is affecting these veterans at more than double that rate.
Dr. Robert Haley, chief of epidemiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, conducted one of these studies and found that “the disease occurred in a very abnormal age group – in people in their 20s and 30s instead of their 60s and 70s.” This points to the possibility that the disease may have been caused, or triggered prematurely, by unnatural environmental factors of the war.
Dr. Haley’s study, which was published in the journal Neurology (Vol 61) in September of 2003, used national statistics from 1978 to 1998 to show that under normal circumstances 1.38 cases of ALS would be found in the veteran population per year, contrasting drastically with the 5 cases observed in 2003. Another study conducted by the Department of Veteran Affairs, and published in the same journal, has also shown that veterans of the 1991 war are developing the disease at double the rate of the population, despite employing completely distinct experimental methodologies.
Although these studies are the subject of criticism stemming from the relatively small sample sizes, after meeting with Dr. Haley and other VA researchers, the findings were significant enough for the government, represented by VA Secretary Anthony Principi, to approve full benefits to Gulf War Veterans suffering from Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
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By Steve on Jul 15, 2009
I’m a 21-year USAF veteran whose career ended abruptly after receiving an ALS diagnosis at age 39. I wasn’t in the gulf region during Desert Shield/Storm, but spent about 4 months there in 94/95. I believe chemical exposures to be one of the more credible key theories in the cause to this horrendous disease. Thanks for this story!
By Rachel on Jul 29, 2009
My grandfather was diagnosed with ALS and passed shortly thereafter. That has been several years ago but recently someone contacted my mother that there was info linking certain chemical sprays used by the Corp of Engineers to ALS. He was employed by the Corp during the 50’s and 60’s and his job was to spray the banks of various lakes, from his [open] boat. No genetic markers in family. Any ideas where to check?