NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
A pesticide commonly used in America’s food supply has been linked to Parkinson’s disease, new research suggests.
A UCLA study published in the journal Springer Nature Link suggests that exposure to chlorpyrifos may increase the risk of neurological disease.
The chemical is commonly used in agricultural products such as soybeans, fruit trees and nuts, broccoli, cauliflower and other row crops, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
EARLY PARKINSON CAN BE DETECTED DECADES BEFORE SYMPTOMS WITH A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST
The study compared 829 people with Parkinson’s to 824 people without the disease over a 45-year period, focusing on their exposure to chlorpyrifos.
The researchers also conducted experiments on mice, where mice inhaled the pesticide as humans would for 11 weeks. Experiments have also been done on zebrafish to study brain damage at the cellular level.
Chlorpyrifos is commonly used in agricultural products such as soybeans, fruit trees and nuts, broccoli, cauliflower and other row crops, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. (Stock)
In humans, a study revealed that long-term exposure to chlorpyrifos led to a 2.5-fold higher risk of developing Parkinson’s.
In mice, exposure to the pesticide caused movement problems such as Parkinson’s symptoms, loss of dopamine-producing neurons, increased brain inflammation and the formation of harmful proteins.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
Zebrafish experienced brain cell death and damage related to a failure in the cell’s “cleaning system,” according to a press release of the study.
Dr. Jeff Bronstein, director of the Movement Disorders Program at UCLA and professor of neuroscience and molecular toxicology, noted that previous human studies also suggested an association between chlorpyrifos exposure and Parkinson’s.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“[We were] he was surprised that the mechanism of toxicity was seen in both mice and zebrafish,” he said. “We rarely find consistent results in different animal models.”
The researcher noted that the agreement of results between human and animal subjects is “rare.” (Stock)
The researcher emphasized that the link between pesticide exposure and Parkinson’s was “very strong,” and the longer a person is exposed, the greater the risk.
“People should avoid exposure to CPF and similar pesticides (organophosphates) by not using them in their homes, eat organic foods, and wash fruits and vegetables before eating them,” Bronstein advises.
Study limitations
The study had some limitations, the researchers acknowledged, mainly that it was observational, meaning it shows an association but cannot prove causation.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLES
It also estimated exposure based on participants’ locations, and did not measure dietary, household exposure or personal lifestyle. Additionally, results from animal models cannot be directly translated to humans.
There was also the possibility that chlorpyrifos was used in combination with other chemicals, meaning it would be difficult to measure its specific impact, the study noted.
Chlorpyrifos is used to control various types of pests, such as termites, mosquitoes and worms, among plants. (Stock)
Industry reaction
Chlorpyrifos is used to control a variety of pests, such as ants, mosquitoes and worms, among crops, according to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at Oregon State University.
People can be exposed to the pesticide by breathing it in or by eating contaminated food or water.
In 2021, the EPA banned the use of chlorpyrifos on food crops, but an appeals court overturned that decision in 2023, allowing its use to resume on certain crops while regulators review the rule.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH PAPER
In January 2026, the EPA issued an update outlining plans to move forward with a rule that would ban most uses of chlorpyrifos.
“Chlorpyrifos is subject to a registration review, a process required under FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act) in which registered pesticides are fully evaluated every 15 years against current safety standards and the latest scientific evidence,” the EPA said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.
“EPA is currently conducting an updated study of the human health risk of chlorpyrifos as part of that review, and will consider this study and any other relevant submissions,” the agency said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. (Getty)
“The EPA is currently conducting an updated human health risk assessment of chlorpyrifos as part of that review, and will consider this study and any other relevant submissions. When the science warrants stronger protection or withdrawal of tolerance, the EPA will do so without hesitation and without delay.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to several chemical manufacturers for comment.
“People should avoid exposure to CPF and similar pesticides.”
Corteva, an Indiana agricultural company formed in 2019 through the merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont, announced in 2020 that it would end production of chlorpyrifos within a year, citing declining sales.
In April 2022, the German chemical company BASF requested the cancellation of its pesticide registration for products containing chlorpyrifos.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH PAPER
“BASF does not manufacture chlorpyrifos and does not have pesticide registrations issued by the US EPA for products containing chlorpyrifos,” the company told Fox News Digital.
No products from Corteva or BASF have been included in the study linking chlorpyrifos to Parkinson’s disease.
