Pesticides and ALS

Exposure to pesticides may increase the risk for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease). ALS, a progressive disease, affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. As the nerve cells that control muscles die, they lose the ability to speak, move, breathe and eat, according to the ALS Association. Three in particular were linked to higher ALS risk. Pesticides in the air and soil can often linger for years. Continuous exposure to the pesticide cis-chlordane increased ALS risk nearly six fold. Exposure to pentachlorobenzene, used in the manufacture of fungicides, almost doubled the odds for ALS. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, used as a flame retardant in furnishings and textiles, increased the risk by about 3 times. Also a combination of genetics and environmental factors triggers the condition.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/als-pesticides-randy-bilesky?published=t

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