AS Can sport and exercise pose a risk?

Intense physical activity may favor amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

When it comes to health, a healthy diet and exercise and exercise are always recommended. However, researchers now found that increased physical activity may increase the risk of developing a so-called motor neurone disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The scientists at the University Medical Center Utrecht found in their current study that strong physical activity increases the risk of developing the motor neurone disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The experts published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry".

Intense exercise and exercise can protect against various diseases, but also increase the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. (Image: sepy / fotolia.com)

What is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis??

According to the researchers, ALS is a progressive, deadly neurodegenerative disease for which there is currently no treatment. Some of these diseases are responsible for our genes, but environmental factors also play an important role. In addition, the physical activity of those affected affects the risk of suffering from this disease, the researchers say.

Over 4,000 subjects were examined

Evidence from previous research on this topic was inconclusive, possibly because of the differences in research design and the methods used in the studies, the experts explain. To bridge this gap, scientists compared the lifestyle of 1,557 adults diagnosed with ALS in their mid-60s. The subjects came from Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands. For comparison, 2,922 similar old people were examined who did not suffer from the disease.

Participants had to answer different questions

Each participant gave details of his education. The lifestyle, the history of their occupations and their lifelong physical activity were also considered.
The metabolic equivalent was used to measure physical activity. The metabolic equivalent expresses the amount of energy (calories) consumed per minute of physical activity.

Physical activity increases the ALS risk

Analysis of this data showed that lifetime physical activity was associated with an increased ALS risk. This increased risk persisted after potentially influential factors such as age and workplace exposures were taken into account, the researchers explain. The increased risk from recreational activities was six percent and seven percent for workplace activities. When all activities were combined and evaluated, the combined risk was six percent. The higher the levels of the metabolic equivalent, the higher the risk for ALS, the researchers explain. Other studies had previously found that there was a higher prevalence of motor neurons among former professional athletes.

What was the combined risk??

However, the current research was a so-called observational study. Such an investigation can not establish causality. An increased risk of six percent for all activities together can lead to a 26 percent increase in risk when comparing physically active people to less active people, experts say.

Movement protects against diseases but increases the ALS risk

Although exercise is unlikely to be a major factor in the development of ALS, this increased risk for people with genetic predisposition could be very important. Overall, it has been shown that physical activity protects against many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and a variety of types of cancer, say the authors of the study. However, reducing the risk of these common conditions could increase the risk of a relatively rare disease such as ALS, the researchers add. (As)