Exposure to formaldehyde may increase the risk of developing
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease (because in 1941 it
killed the New York Yankees baseball player), a study released on Wednesday concluded.
According to the ALS Association, abut 5,600 people in the
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects
nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The degeneration of the motor
neurons in ALS eventually leads to death. When the neurons die, the ability of
the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost, resulting in
paralysis.
Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health, led by
Marc Weisskopf, PhD, examined the link between ALS and 12 types of chemicals. Their
study initially focused on the effect of pesticides and herbicides, but later they
discovered that formaldehyde increased the risk for developing the disease.
Formaldehyde is a reactive chemical that has been recognized
as a human carcinogen. The chemical is found in building materials, smoking,
household products, and the use of un-vented, fuel-burning appliances, like gas
stoves or kerosene space heaters. At levels above 0.1 parts per million, the
exposure causes a burning sensation in the eyes, nose and throat; nausea;
coughing; chest tightness; wheezing; and skin rashes.
The study, spreading between 1982 and 1997, analyzed over one million
people participating in the Cancer Prevention Study II of the American Cancer Society
for their exposure to 12 types of chemicals including formaldehyde. The participants
were questioned about the levels of formaldehyde exposure. Those regularly exposed
to the chemical were 34 percent more likely to develop ALS compared to those
exposed to other chemicals.
“Although this finding could well be
a chance observation, it merits further investigation, particularly because
people with longer exposure to formaldehyde had a greater risk of developing
ALS than those with shorter exposures. People who reported 10 or more years of
exposure were almost four times as likely to develop ALS as those with no
exposure,” said Dr. Weisskopf.
During the 15-year follow-up, a total 617 men and 539 women
died from ALS.
The findings were presented at the