Pesticide Exposure Elevates Parkinson's Risks
Mercola.com
Parkinson's disease is an incurable degenerative neurological condition; characteristics of the condition include a growing difficulty in limb movement, as well as the development of tremors and facial tics. And while a family history of the disease and being knocked unconscious on repeated occasions are both accused risk factors of Parkinson's, researchers unveiled yet another possible culprit: exposure to pesticides. (Previous findings have suggested that pesticides, when inhaled or absorbed through the skin, can affect the way the mitochondria, or the "power house" of a cell, works.) A Pesticide Problem A European study examined almost 3,000 people in five different countries (Scotland, Italy, Sweden, Romania and Sweden), including 767 patients with Parkinson's. Researchers asked the participants about their professional and leisure activities, and whether or not they had regularly used pesticides: Those with Parkinson's were more likely to have regularly used pesticides during their lives. Part-time, weekend gardeners were 9 percent more likely to fall victim to Parkinson's. Farmers, generally considered high-level users of pesticides, increased their chances of developing Parkinson's by 43 percent. The results prompted experts to recommend gardeners wear protective clothing when spraying pesticides; however, the study had one significant downfall: It did not analyze specific pesticides, as participants were unable to recall which ones they had used. Thus, while the study highlighted the health threat of pesticide exposure, it could not identify which pesticides were linked to an increased risk of Parkinson's. Stay Informed and Subscribe to Dr. Grisanti's Free Health Tip of the Week
BBC News May 25, 2005 New Scientist May 25, 2005
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