Health Risks of Former Professional Soccer Players in Scotland

Study Overview

A recent study focusing on ex-professional soccer players in Scotland reveals that while these athletes generally enjoy better health, they face an elevated risk of dying from neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and dementia. This research highlights the growing awareness of brain injury risks associated with contact sports such as soccer, American football, and boxing.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Contact Sports

A post-mortem analysis conducted in 2017 found that approximately 87% to 99% of deceased former American football players exhibited signs of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a serious brain condition linked to repeated head trauma. Such statistics underscore the heightened risk of neurodegenerative diseases among athletes in contact sports.

Benefits of Physical Activity

Despite these risks, studies indicate that intense physical activity and regular exercise among competitive athletes correlate with increased lifespan and improved cardiovascular health compared to the general population.

Research Methodology

Researchers in Scotland aimed to perform a risk-benefit analysis of former professional soccer players. Funded by the Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association, their findings were published in the November issue of the *New England Journal of Medicine*. This retrospective study utilized health records to compare death rates from neurodegenerative diseases among professional soccer players with those of the general population.

Data Collection and Analysis

The researchers accessed health records to gather data on causes of death and dementia-related prescriptions for former soccer players born before 1977. They employed an automated computer program to match each player with three individuals from the general population, based on age, sex, and socio-economic status, resulting in a comparison of 7,676 players with 23,028 matched controls.

Findings

The study revealed that overall mortality rates were approximately 50% lower among former soccer players compared to the general population. However, this lower mortality rate was evident only in players aged 70 and younger; beyond this age, the rate of death from all causes was higher among former players.

Death rates from heart disease were found to be about 40% lower in soccer players, while lung cancer death rates were approximately 35% lower. Conversely, the risk of dying from neurodegenerative diseases was 3.5 times greater among former players compared to the general population.

Specific Risks of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Among neurodegenerative diseases, the risk of death due to Alzheimer’s disease was the highest, whereas the risk was lowest for Parkinson’s disease. There was no significant difference in age at death between players with neurodegenerative diseases and their counterparts in the general population. Additionally, former players were found to be 4.9 times more likely to receive prescriptions for dementia-related medications.

Study Limitations and Context

While the study’s design limited the researchers from examining the association of CTE and dementia pugilistica (boxer’s dementia) with mortality rates, their results align with findings from studies involving players in the U.S. National Football League. Although these observations may not directly apply to recreational or amateur soccer players, the inclusion of a large dataset with matched controls enhances the study’s significance.

Expert Commentary

Dr. Carol Routledge, Director of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, commented on the study, stating, “This well-conducted study of long-term health in ex-professional footballers is the largest of its kind and fills an important gap in our knowledge about football and dementia. […] The best evidence suggests that good heart health is the best way to keep the brain healthy, so when played safely, a kick around with friends is still a great way to stay mentally and physically active.”

References

– Mackay DF, Russell ER, Stewart K, MacLean JA, Pell JP, Stewart W. Neurodegenerative Disease Mortality among Former Professional Soccer Players. *N Engl J Med*. 2019 Nov 7;381(19):1801-1808.
– Lehman EJ, Hein MJ, Baron SL, Gersic CM. Neurodegenerative causes of death among retired National Football League players. *Neurology*. 2012;79(19):1970–1974.
– Expert comment from Dr. Carol Routledge available at: https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-study-on-former-professional-footballers-and-dementia-risk/
– Image by Phillip Kofler from Pixabay.