Possibly impairing cognitive benefits of exercise because of air pollution:
Results: UFPM concentrations were significantly higher in the urban environment compared with the rural environment (P = 0.006). Fitness levels improved equally (P < 0.0001) in both groups. Leukocyte counts (P = 0.02), neutrophil counts (P = 0.04), and exhaled nitric oxide levels (P = 0.002) increased after training in the urban group, whereas these parameters did not change in the rural group. The changes in these markers’ levels after training showed a positive correlation with the personal average UFPM exposure during training. Reaction times on the Stroop task improved in the rural group (P = 0.001), but not in the urban group. No effects were found on BDNF levels, Operation Span, and Psychomotor Vigilance test performances.
Conclusion: Aerobic training in an urban environment with high traffic-related air pollution increased inflammatory biomarkers, and, in contrast to aerobic training in a rural environment, cognitive performance on the Stroop task did not improve.
I use a good air purifier and have it on all the time on low setting.
A good air purifier with good sensors has been a key to minimizing my downtime due to flu/respiratory illness in Hong Kong. Recovery has gone from 6 months to just a month (or less) since I bought a HEPA air purifier. I use Philips, but any good brand should do the trick.
I’ll be publishing an interview with George Dallam PhD on the health benefits of nasal breathing (as much of the time as possible) and nasal rinsing daily (I do this and never get sinus infections anymore…used to be regular occurrence).
**Dallam claims the two are great for reducing nasal and other airway infection. **
In general, he recommends nasal breathing for keeping particles out of your lungs (COPD), avoiding damage from drying out lung tissue (exercise onset asthma), increasing co2 in the blood stream (blood vessel constriction), and getting more nitric oxide from nasal passages (more blood vessel constriction)….plus a bunch of other likely benefits. Look for his new book.
This is a followup to my interview 2 years ago about becoming fully nasal adapted for exercising at all intensities while nasal breathing. This one is more about health, and in particular brain and heart health from nasal breathing (avoiding problems caused by oral breathing).
Air purifiers in Finnish daycare reduced children’s illnesses by 18% in a carefully controlled study. This implies huge potential for better public health and cost savings from sick leaves, with a simple intervention against airborne infections.
An excellent air purifier is a necessity for anyone who wants to live a long life. Pneumonia and respiratory illnesses are one of the top killers of the elderly. You should have one in every room you use frequently.
More in general the air quality in East/Southeast Asia can really be an issue. Personally I see many benefits to living there, but I find I find the air pollution to be a major drawback. (With the exception of Japan).
Hi RapAdmin, I realize that I am responding to an old post, but I wonder if reducing infections in young children is penny wise but pound foolish.
I can see how air filtration may be ideal in public places, like transportation, hospitals, elder care facilities, and private residences where elderly/immunocompromised may be present. However, I wonder if this could ultimately lead to underdeveloped immune systems when applied to our young people, with unintended consequences down the road?
Even “Safe” Air Can Silently Scar Your Heart – MRI Shows How
Canadian researchers found even “safe” levels of PM2.5 boosted myocardial fibrosis in both healthy volunteers and cardiomyopathy patients, especially women, smokers, and people with hypertension.
Air Pollution’s Hidden Cardiac Scars
Breathing polluted air could be doing more harm to your heart than you realize—even if you’re healthy. A new study using advanced cardiac MRI imaging has found that long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to early signs of heart damage, specifically a condition known as myocardial fibrosis. This type of scarring in the heart muscle can develop silently and may set the stage for heart failure later in life.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death around the world, and poor air quality has long been linked to increased cardiovascular risk. But what exactly happens inside the heart when we breathe polluted air has been less clear—until now.
“We know that if you’re exposed to air pollution, you’re at higher risk of cardiac disease, including higher risk of having a heart attack,” said the study’s senior author Kate Hanneman, M.D., M.P.H., from the Department of Medical Imaging at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and University Health Network in Toronto. “We wanted to understand what drives this increased risk at the tissue level.”
This study provides evidence linking PM2.5 exposure to LBD. The neurotoxic effects of PM2.5 appear to be mediated by αSyn, with exposure generating a pathogenic strain (PM-PFF) that shares key properties with αSyn strains in human LBD. In mice, this strain induced cognitive deficits and transcriptomic changes resembling those in LBD patients, distinct from those in PD without dementia. These findings identify an environmental mechanism contributing to LBD pathogenesis and underscores the role of αSyn. The PM2.5-induced strain represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Collectively, these results emphasize the importance of further research into air pollution’s role in neurodegenerative diseases and its implications for public health strategies.
The image above gives a visual snapshot of global annual average PM₂.₅ levels, with notable hotspots in South Asia, parts of Africa, and the Middle East.
Regions with Highest PM₂.₅ Exposure
1. South Asia
Highest exposure globally: Countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal top the list for annual PM₂.₅ exposure. India and Pakistan, in particular, consistently record extremely poor air quality. (stateofglobalair.org, IQAir)
City-level extremes:
Delhi: Often records levels up to ~92 µg/m³—more than 18× the WHO guideline.
Severe smog events: Recent crises in North India and Pakistan featured PM₂.₅ spikes reaching nearly 950 µg/m³—almost 190× the WHO annual threshold. (Wikipedia)
2. Africa & Middle East
Countries with high levels: Chad (approx. 92 µg/m³), Niger, Nigeria, Egypt, Mauritania, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo rank among the dirtiest globally. (IQAir, stateofglobalair.org)
Regional exposure: Northern and sub-Saharan Africa are also heavily impacted. (Earth.Org, The Lancet)
3. Local/global disparities
Exposure inequalities remain significant. While some residents in high-income regions have cleaner air, citizens in densely polluted areas—particularly in South Asia and parts of Africa—bear disproportionately high exposure. (Nature, ScienceDirect)
4. Europe (not as extreme but notable)
The Po Valley in Northern Italy—around Milan, Turin, and Bologna—stands out as one of the most polluted parts of Europe. Its residents experience elevated PM₂.₅-related mortality and reduced life expectancy. (Wikipedia)
Quick Summary
Region
Highlights
South Asia
India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal — some of the worst annual exposures; extreme smog events (900 µg/m³).
Africa & Middle East
Chad, Nigeria, Egypt, DRC among highest national averages; large populations affected.
Po Valley, Europe
Elevated PM₂.₅ impacting health and mortality in northern Italy’s urban-industrial belt.
Global Inequality
Exposure heavily concentrated among low- and middle-income regions.
Final Thoughts
South Asia is the global epicenter of PM₂.₅ exposure, both in average levels and severe episodic events.
Africa & Middle East also face consistently elevated exposure, though data gaps exist.
Urban industrial zones, e.g., Italy’s Po Valley, reveal hotspots even in relatively cleaner countries.
Exposure inequality is stark—air quality is closely tied to socioeconomic and geographic factors.
Let me know if you’d like to explore urban-level comparisons, health impact modeling, or PM₂.₅ composition across different regions!
OK, I admit I’m insane, but what can I do. I have 2-3 monitors in each room, because I want to make sure they agree with each other and I’m not just relying on one monitor which may be waaay off. It’s about failsafe systems, tolerances and error correction🤪.
Yes I did the same and then found out that… They agreed with each other and one for the whole house was enough Which ones do you have? I have IQAir and Amazon. Which purifiers do you use? I have the Philips 3200.
AQItech, SAF Aranet 4, Bonoch, Qxpztk, for monitors, plus a couple more brands downstairs names of which I don’t remember. For air purifiers, it’s all Coway AP1512HH, I bought a bunch in 2018, when there were fires in the LA area, they were the best reviewed and I just stuck with them. But yes, mostly the monitors are very close in numbers, so that’s a relief.
Which ones do you have? I have IQAir and Amazon. Which purifiers do you use? I have the Philips 3200.