You may know that there are a lot of things that cause heart problems. What you eat and drink have a major impact on your hearts health. Your genetics play a big role. And Ive also shown you how infection can cause heart attacks. But now we know theres another factor that can give you heart trouble.
A study out of Taiwan says urban air pollution significantly increases your risk for cardiovascular problems.
In the study, researchers studied how four different cardiovascular disease markers reacted to air pollutants.
The first marker was C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a measure of inflammation in your body. The researchers found that CRP levels jumped with rises in small particulate matter, sulfate, and ozone. All products of air pollution.
The researchers also looked at 8-hydroxy-2´-deoxyguanosine – a marker for oxidative (free-radical) stress. It increased with airborne nitrate, sulfate, and ozone.
And the third marker, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, is a protein which, when elevated, will raise your risk of a blood clot. It also rose significantly with small particulates, nitrates, sulfates and ozone. So did the clotting factor fibrinogen.
Then the researchers used a test called heart rate variability to measure the neurological health of the participants autonomic nervous system. The test showed impairment with higher levels of sulfate, small particulate matter levels, nitrate, and ozone.
Its vital you breathe the cleanest air possible. Unfortunately, there is nothing that you can do about outdoor air. But you can improve your indoor air. If you live in the city, consider buying an ozone and/or ultraviolet light air filter for your home and office. Ozone air purifiers have taken huge hits from the government lately. While I am a huge fan of ozone, I admit there could be problems. Lets look at why.
Ozone is a marker of just how much pollution is out there. I am not convinced that its ozone that is the problem, but the other awful pollutants that come with it. Why? Consider the sweet smell of the atmosphere after a thunderstorm. That wonderful smell is from the creation of low levels of ozone from lightning. In a relatively clean air environment, low levels of ozone smell wonderful, and further cleanse the air. Its when ozone levels rise above those natural levels that it smells pungent.
Misused ozone generators can put out enough ozone to make the local room air pungent. Ozone at this level could cause problems with your lungs, aggravating asthma and other lung conditions. In Alaska, most people were indoors for many months in the long, cold, dark winter. I oversaw the sales of hundreds of ozone generators from many distributors and urged consumers to set the ozone production dial on very low levels. I never saw reactions when the machines were used like this.
There are many good brands on the market. I suggest trying a machine that guarantees a refund if you are not satisfied with the results.
Ref: Chuang KJ The Effect of Urban Air Pollution on Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Coagulation, and Autonomic Dysfunction in Young Adults Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007;176:370-376.