The 25th annual “State of the Air” report by the American Lung Association (ALA) indicates that 131 million Americans are currently living in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution.1 According to the new standards finalized in February 2024 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nearly four out of 10 individuals in the United States are breathing air that contains dangerous levels of pollutants.1

The ALA report analyzed air quality across the country, identifying and ranking the cleanest – and most polluted – cities and counties across three categories: ozone pollution, year-round particle pollution, and short-term particle pollution. 

The levels of particle pollution, or particulate matter, identified in the ALA report slightly worsened in 2024 compared to 2023, particularly in areas affected by wildfire smoke. The report found that eight of the 10 most-polluted counties are in the state of California, which has been plagued by both drought and wildfires in recent years.1

And while many different factors affect air quality, from ozone to particulate matter, it is well documented that air pollution poses significant risks to our health.

What is the connection between air pollution and health?

Airborne pollutants can accumulate and damage the delicate tissues in our lungs. But is air pollution only bad for our lungs? Are other body systems affected? And who is most at risk?

Although the impact of air quality on lung health seems obvious, exposure to air pollution also has been found to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, and is associated with a reduced life expectancy overall.2 

Anyone with a compromised immune system or individuals with specific respiratory diseases are especially susceptible to the effects of air pollution. However, because children have less robust immune function, pollution can be particularly hazardous to their developing bodies. Air pollution exposes us to reactive oxygen species that damage our DNA and cause a cascade of other health problems, particularly if we do not have an adequate intake of antioxidants in our diets to counteract the pro-oxidative exposure.

Air quality and age-related diseases

A growing amount of evidence suggests that exposure to certain air pollutants can accelerate or even cause various age-related diseases, including dementia.3-5

Animal studies show that the brains of mice exposed to 15 weeks of ultrafine airborne particulates had an accumulation of high levels of amyloid proteins, such as those found in Alzheimer’s disease patients.3 And human studies appear to corroborate these findings. 

A 2016 study that compiled data from the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study found that U.S. women 65 years and older had nearly twice the risk of developing dementia if their exposure to particulate matter exceeded the EPA standards during the previous three years.3 

A study conducted in England found that adults living in areas with the highest concentration of particulate matter and nitric oxide were at the highest risk of developing dementia compared to any other population studied.4

Although the precise connection between brain health and air quality is unclear, scientists hypothesize that because pollutants increase inflammatory signals in the body, they could be causing neuro-inflammation or affecting the brain’s vascular system.5 

Other studies show that exposure to particulate matter can prematurely age DNA, which increases the risk for age-related diseases.6 Telomeres – stretches of DNA that line the ends of chromosomes –  are considered a biomarker of how well we are aging because their lengths tend to decrease with every cell division, shortening as we age, and impacting the health of our DNA. A 2016 study of 166 non-smoking older adults found a correlation between elevated exposure to particulate air pollution and reduced telomere length.7

Is exercising in a polluted area bad for your health? 

Although exercise has innumerous benefits to cardiovascular health, respiratory health, weight management, healthy aging, and much more – working out in polluted air might do more harm than good. Because deep breathing increases the exposure to airborne pollutants, athletes and anyone else living in areas with poor air quality are likely increasing their rates of exposure when performing rigorous physical activities. This is why it’s important to monitor air quality levels in your area and consider a gym or other indoor workout on days when the particle pollution is high.

How can you stay “in the know” about air quality?

AirNow.gov is a public access website that tracks air quality around the United States. You can search any location by city and state or zip code to identify the Air Quality Index (AQI) rating for that area.

The U.S. AQI uses a color-coded scale and numerical rating from 0-500 to indicate varying levels of air quality – enabling you to make an informed decision about which outdoor activities are safe. The website also features an interactive air quality map of data from around the country so you can pinpoint areas that have consistently more ozone or particle pollution – which can be particularly helpful when you plan your next vacation.

Unseen hazards

Although some aspects of air pollution are visible, such as smog or soot, there are also toxic compounds found in the air that are not visible to the naked eye. Benzo(a)pyrene, which is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is one such contaminant. It is created whenever there is combustion, such as from car exhaust or cigarette smoke. It is also found in charcoal-broiled foods. Because benzo(a)pyrene is a known human carcinogen and has been implicated in the development of a number of diseases, minimizing exposure to it is important. For example, you should consider keeping your windows rolled up when sitting in traffic on your morning commute. Or if you walk or exercise outdoors, then seek out areas with fewer cars to minimize inhaling exhaust fumes.

Supporting the bodies’ inherent detoxification and antioxidant systems

Although exposure to air pollution can be inevitable in many cases, there are ways to support our body’s built in detoxification and immune responses. For starters, because air pollution exposes us to increased oxidative stress, consuming an adequate intake of antioxidants will support your redox balance – which is the delicate balance of pro-oxidative factors versus antioxidants in the body. Consuming a variety of colorful fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices will increase your intake of plant polyphenols that provide antioxidant benefits. 

For those consuming less than optimal amounts of these foods, Thorne makes a variety of antioxidant supplements that you can consider, such as Broccoli Seed Extract for detox support.* Thorne’s Broccoli Seed Extract formula provides broccoli and kale seed extract along with myrosinase from mustard powder and added vitamin C to help turn on the body’s own antioxidants, like glutathione.*

Thorne’s Vitamin C with Flavonoids is another foundational nutritional supplement to consider – it scavenges free radicals in the body and supports liver detoxification.*

Thorne’s Quercetin Phytosome delivers the antioxidant flavonoid quercetin, found in many colorful fruits and vegetables, to support a balanced inflammatory response in the respiratory tract.*

The liver is the body’s primary detox organ and as such it plays a key role in metabolizing and eliminating harmful pollutants from the body. When noxious compounds, such as benzo(a)pyrene described above – and others found in particle pollution – are inhaled or consumed, the liver bears the burden of detoxifying the body to minimize the damaging effects.

So, another way you can protect your body when exposed to pollutants is to give your liver some love! Thorne offers a variety of liver-supportive supplements, including botanicals and antioxidants that also support healthy aging.*

Thorne’s Siliphos® provides milk thistle flavonoids in a well-absorbed complex to offer liver-protective benefits and help maintain normal levels of glutathione.*

Thorne’s Glutathione-SR features a sustained-release form of glutathione, one of the body’s most important antioxidant and detoxification factors.*

You might also consider Thorne’s NAC to provide support for clearing mucus. NAC, short for N-acetylcysteine, is an important amino acid that is one of the building blocks of glutathione, as well as specifically benefitting respiratory health and immune function.*

For individuals seeking additional respiratory support, Boswellia Phytosome supports a healthy inflammatory response in the respiratory tract, as well as in the muscles, joints, and gastrointestinal tract.* Boswellia Phytosome also balances the cerebral inflammatory response to protect brain tissue.*

Moving forward in a polluted world

Although we still have much to learn regarding the extent to which pollutants affect age-related diseases, the risks related to poor air quality are real and of significant concern for those who live in urban areas where such pollution is abundant – or in rural areas significantly affected by wildfires.

Although some degree of toxic exposure is unavoidable, being mindful of the air quality in your area from day to day and planning appropriately can help minimize exposure to you and your family. In addition, providing your body with the tools and building blocks to be resilient in the face of oxidative stress can go a long way to supporting healthy aging overall.

References

  1. American Lung Association. State of the Air. 2024. https://www.lung.org/research/sota [Accessed January 22, 2025]
  2. Tainio M, Jovanovic-Andersen Z, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, et al. Air pollution, physical activity and health: A mapping review of the evidence. Environ Int 2021;147:105954. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.105954
  3. Cacciottolo M, Wang X, Driscoll I, et al. Particulate air pollutants, APOE alleles and their contributions to cognitive impairment in older women and to amyloidogenesis in experimental models. Transl Psychiatry 2017;7(1):e1022. doi:10.1038/tp.2016.280
  4. Carey IM, Anderson HR, Atkinson RW, et al. Are noise and air pollution related to the incidence of dementia? A cohort study in London, England. BMJ Open 2018;8(9):e022404. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022404
  5. Weuve J. Invited commentary: how exposure to air pollution may shape dementia risk, and what epidemiology can say about it. Am J Epidemiol 2014;180(4):367-371. doi:10.1093/aje/kwu153
  6. Nwanaji-Enwerem JC, Colicino E, Trevisi L, et al. Long-term ambient particle exposures and blood DNA methylation age: findings from the VA normative aging study. Environ Epigenet 2016;2(2):dvw006. doi:10.1093/eep/dvw006
  7. Pieters N, Janssen BG, Dewitte H, et al. Biomolecular markers within the core axis of aging and particulate air pollution exposure in the elderly: a cross-sectional study. Environ Health Perspect 2016;124(7):943-950. doi:10.1289/ehp.1509728