Does a lifetime of vigorous exercise increase the risk of developing ALS?

 

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/931658

 

 News Release 20-Oct-2021
Peer-Reviewed Publication
American Academy of Neurology

 

There is debate over whether vigorous physical activity is a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A new study suggests it depends on whether that vigorous activity you get over your lifetime happens on the job or during leisure time. The research is published in the October 20, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

ALS is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. People with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death. The average life span after diagnosis is two to five years.

“The good news is that our results provide further evidence that physical activity you get off the clock, like walking and bicycling, does not appear to be a risk factor for ALS,” said study author Angela Rosenbohm, MD, of Ulm University in Germany. “However, we did find an increased risk when we looked at intense physical activity that happens during work hours, for example, in occupations like farmer, steelworker or mason. While we did not prove this type of physical activity is a cause of ALS, the association could be because of repetitive motion on the job, or it could be due to other factors like exposure to chemicals or pollution.”

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