The 70% Risk Boost: Startling New Research Reveals What Increases Your Chances of Parkinson’s and Early Signs You Need to Know

According to the World Health Organization, Parkinson’s disease is emerging as the fastest-growing neurodegenerative condition worldwide. The surge can be attributed, in part, to advancements in medical care that have prolonged life expectancy and increased survival rates for diseases like cancer.

Alarming statistics from the World Health Organization project that nearly nine million individuals will be grappling with Parkinson’s disease globally by the year 2030.

TCE, or trichloroethylene, has been linked to some cancers in the past, but a new study published in JAMA Neurology, appears to be the first large-scale study to show that it is linked to Parkinson’s.

TCE, a chemical that has been utilized for industrial and commercial purposes for almost a century, had a range of applications, including its use as a surgical anesthetic until its prohibition in 1977. In more recent times, TCE found its use as a degreasing solvent, particularly in the industrial sector for removing grease from metal parts. This process involved heating TCE in degreasing tanks to produce a vapor that effectively dissolved the grease. Unfortunately, this method also resulted in the release of the chemical into the atmosphere. When TCE infiltrates the soil or groundwater, it can persist for extended periods, lasting for decades.

The study conducted by researchers from UC San Francisco and the San Francisco VA Medical Center focused on comparing the occurrence of Parkinson’s disease among approximately 160,000 Navy and Marine veterans. Of these individuals, slightly over half were stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, where TCE was employed for degreasing military equipment and where water contamination occurred. The remaining participants were stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, where the water supply remained uncontaminated.

During the period of 1975 to 1985, service members spent a minimum of three months at these camps. It was during this time that TCE concentrations in the water at Camp Lejeune surpassed the maximum safety levels by 70-fold. The researchers had access to subsequent health data on these individuals between 1997 and 2021, a timeframe within which Parkinson’s disease might typically manifest.

According to a recent study, researchers discovered that 430 veterans were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Shockingly, the veterans who served at Lejeune had a 70% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s compared to those at Pendleton. The study involved service members who were stationed at both camps for an average duration of approximately two years between 1975 and 1985. It was observed that individuals at Lejeune began their residency at an average age of 20 and were diagnosed with Parkinson’s around the age of 54, while those at Pendleton were diagnosed at around 53. These findings indicate that the disease took several decades to manifest after exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE).

Furthermore, it’s important to note that the general population is also susceptible to TCE exposure. Samuel M. Goldman, MD, MPH, the lead author of the study from the UCSF Division of Occupational, Environmental and Climate Medicine and the SFVA, highlighted that measurable amounts of the chemical can be found in between 9% and 34% of water supplies across the United States. Therefore, TCE exposure poses a significant risk to civilians as well.

“TCE is still a very commonly used chemical in the United States,” he commented, “and throughout the world. Its production has been increasing over the past several years and it is widely available online.
 
“Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to know if you’ve been exposed, unless you’ve worked with it directly. Many of us have detectable levels of TCE in our bodies, but it gets metabolized and excreted very quickly, so blood and urine tests only reflect very recent exposure.” 

Moreover, the study conducted by researchers revealed that veterans exposed to Lejeune had a greater incidence of prodromal Parkinson’s, which refers to symptoms that indicate the possibility of Parkinson’s disease but do not fully meet the diagnostic criteria for the condition.

“Loss of sense of smell, a sleep disorder known as RBD, anxiety, depression and constipation can be early signs of Parkinson’s,” points out senior author Caroline M. Tanner, “but only a very small fraction of people with them will develop it.”
 
“The risk of developing Parkinson’s in the future can be estimated using a risk score based on these symptoms. The Lejeune veterans had higher risk scores than the Pendleton veterans, suggesting that they are more likely to develop Parkinson’s in the future.”

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