Your Lungs Aren't Safe From This Summertime Air Pollutant

Your Lungs Aren't Safe From This Summertime Air Pollutant

The 1980s were a time of big, teased hair... and, not so coincidentally, a hole in our ozone layer...

All of those cans of Aqua Net teased hair to sky-high levels. But they weren't so kind to the ozone layer...

Back then, aerosol cans and cooling appliances used chlorofluorocarbon ("CFC") chemicals, which underwent chemical reactions in clouds to produce chlorine. And that chlorine happens to be really good at breaking down ozone in the presence of sunlight during warmer weather, which is why a hole started forming in the ozone layer above the Antarctic in the 1980s.

Just like those round Gobstopper candies, think of the center as Earth, surrounded by layers that make up our atmosphere. The lowest layer is the troposphere and just above that is the stratosphere, perfect for weather balloons and military aircraft. (Commercial jets fly in the lower stratosphere to avoid turbulence, too.) The stratosphere also contains the ozone layer, which protects all life on Earth from harmful amounts of ultraviolet ("UV") radiation.

Thankfully by the end of the decade, the world agreed on a collective effort to phase out the production and usage of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances. And it worked... Scientists expect that hole to close up by around 2066. Happy ending for all as far as ozone is concerned, right?

Well, there's more...

Sure, that stratospheric ozone about 10 to 30 miles above us is the good stuff, keeping humans, animals, and plants alike safe from the sun.

It just so happens that you can find ozone at ground level, too. And it's chemically close to the oxygen we breathe. (Oxygen is composed of two oxygen atoms while ozone is composed of three.)

But turns out, that extra third oxygen atom in ozone makes it so reactive with other molecules... unfortunately, like those of our lung tissue.

Once we breathe it in, that ground-level ozone attacks and irritates our lungs, leading to inflammation and damage. So you get symptoms like shortness of breath, tightness and pain in the chest, and coughing. It's worse for more vulnerable folks like the very young, the elderly, and those with preexisting conditions like asthma. In fact, inhaling ozone can trigger asthma attacks by causing the muscles in your airways to tighten and narrow.

Studies have also found an association between ozone exposure and a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and respiratory problems. A study published this month in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that even short-term exposure to high ozone levels kickstarts a process that leads to stiff arteries – exactly what happens in aging and in atherosclerosis...

Researchers followed 210 young, healthy Chinese adults aged from 18 to 60 in two cities with high ozone levels for several days. Blood tests showed a drop in oxygen levels (or hypoxia) and an increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin levels – the stuff in blood that carries oxygen molecules.

Also, the team found an increase in arterial stiffness (by checking the carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, or how fast the artery pulse moves from the carotid artery near the neck to the femoral artery at the groin).

Researchers concluded that exposure to ozone reduces oxygen availability in blood, which tells the body to churn out more red blood cells and hemoglobin. That way of compensating for low oxygen happens to kickstart another process in the body resulting in the walls of the arteries swelling and thickening, leading to stiff arteries.

Now, you might have read in an issue of my other newsletter Retirement Millionaire (get a 30-day peek here if you're not a subscriber) that spring and summer are peak seasons for ground-level ozone level. However, ozone can pose a threat during winter, too. And it has to do with how ozone is formed...

A cocktail of ingredients react to form the ground-level ozone, namely the right weather conditions and airborne nasties...

Air pollution from nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds ("VOCs") is emitted from residential and industrial sources like cars, gas pumps, power plants, and chemical plants. Gas stoves, furnaces, and wood-burning fireplaces are common wintertime sources of these pollutants.

As for weather, heat and sunlight are why spring and summer are peak seasons for high levels of ozone. But the white stuff on the ground that most of the country has been seeing a lot of lately can lead to high ozone levels during winter, too...

Sunlight can react with nitrate molecules in snow to create those nitrogen oxides I mentioned earlier. And in high-altitude areas with a lot of snow, sunlight bounces off of that brilliant white to warm up the air. In what's called temperature inversion, that warm air ends up pinning the colder air – and ozone – close to the ground. And, voila, you've got ground-level ozone even during the dead of winter.

Now, I'm not saying to stop running your gas heat to lower your exposure to ozone while turning yourself into a popsicle. But you can check the Air Quality Index ("AQI") forecast. It estimates the expected air-pollution levels, plus the severity of health effects after exposure, on a scale from 0 to 500. A higher number means poorer air quality and greater health concerns.

Along with ground-level ozone, air-sensor readings for other harmful pollutants like particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide are all rolled into a simple, color-coded list... alongside your regular forecast. So check the AQI when you check the weather – especially if you plan on spending a lot of time outside and/or exerting yourself. (The greater your exertion, the more air you'll suck in.) Your local news station's weather forecast and most weather apps or websites should include the AQI.

Also, maybe skip the roaring fireplace – flip the channel to one of those virtual fireplace channels with a video of a crackling fire and just use your central heating instead.

Finally, load up your plate with antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. Some studies have shown that vitamin C, in particular, benefits lung function in folks exposed to ozone. I love snacking on oranges and mandarins during the winter when they're in season for a nice boost of vitamin C.

What We're Reading...

Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,

Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
January 23, 2025