September 07, 2014
ALS, Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's Disease, military exposures, military families, U.S. Military, veterans, Veterans Affairs, veterans children
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Men who served in the U.S. military during the last century appear to have an unusually high risk of dying from Lou Gehrig’s disease, but experts are puzzled over why and are uncertain whether the apparent hazard is real.
The surprising finding comes from a study of men veterans from World War I through Vietnam. It concludes they are about 60 percent more likely than non-veterans to get the often fatal illness, known formally as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
Even with the increased risk, however, the disease is still rare for veterans and non-veterans alike.