Playing professional sports, including professional football, can have extensive tolls on an athlete's body. According to a recent study released in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, former professional football players, especially linemen, seem to develop age-related diseases at a younger age compared to non-football players in the same demographic.
Age-related conditions include dementia, Alzheimer's disease, hypertension and diabetes, among others, according to a press release. The research also indicates that these athletes' life spans were reduced by about 10 years.
