British soldiers fighting in the Gulf War in the Saudi desert
Credit: Patrick Baz/AFP/Getty Images
Gulf War syndrome may be caused by the destruction of Iraqi chemical weapons rather than uranium, a study has revealed.
The illness, which has left a quarter of a million veterans suffering from debilitating symptoms years later, was likely the result of exposure to sarin nerve agent released when UK and US troops destroyed these caches during the seven-month conflict, according to a new analysis.
It was previously thought the illness was brought on by debris from depleted uranium munitions, which were used to destroy Iraqi tanks.
However, researchers from the University of Portsmouth found that sufferers did not have any residual uranium in their bodies which would account for their symptoms. They say this "conclusively proves" that uranium is not responsible for their illness.
The Gulf War was sparked by Iraqi president Saddam Hussein invading neighbouring Kuwait. The conflict involved at least 750,000 allied forces between August 1990 and February 1991.
Acute and chronic symptoms of Gulf War syndrome include fatigue, headaches, joint pain, indigestion, insomnia, dizziness, respiratory disorders and memory problems.
Randall Parrish, professor of isotope geology, said: "For decades, medics and scientists have been looking for the elusive cause of Gulf War illness.
"That depleted uranium is not and never was in the bodies of those who are ill at sufficient quantities to cause disease will surprise many, including sufferers who have, for 30 years, suspected depleted uranium may have contributed to their illness.
"The plausibility of the link between depleted uranium and the illness has bubbled along now for nearly 30 years, but we would argue it’s time to look elsewhere."
Scientists used a highly sensitive test to establish how much uranium was left in the urine of 154 US veterans suffering from Gulf War syndrome.
Depleted uranium has been shown to cause cancers and birth defects, and for decades has been considered a "smoking gun" when it comes to explaining Gulf War syndrome, said Prof Parrish.
However, not a single trace of depleted uranium was found in any of the urine samples. The testing method used was 10 times more sensitive than previous methods, leading scientists to conclude the results are indisputable.
Prof Parrish said this should pave the way for the true cause of Gulf War syndrome to be uncovered.
"Being able to debunk the alleged connection between this illness and this radioactive substance allows the medical community to focus more clearly on what the likely cause(s) actually are," he said.
"Finding causes is a nebulous game when you have so many options to blame. The allies’ own activities destroying an Iraqi nerve agent cache or spraying pesticides liberally on troops could be seen in hindsight as an inadvertent ‘own goal’ and one to be avoided in future conflicts.
"It is important to find causes for conditions like this, even if it takes a long time and the causes might be controversial."
Andy Pike, head of policy and research at the Royal British Legion, said it is interesting to better understand the potential cause of Gulf War syndrome, but it is more important to learn how to effectively treat sufferers.
"There has been little meaningful research published in the UK concerning effective treatment for those suffering from Gulf War illnesses," he said.
"It is likely this lack of understanding has had a serious impact, leaving many veterans living with debilitating conditions 30 years after the end of combat operations."
The study was published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.
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