No Organ Spared: How Air Pollution Affects Every Organ in Your Body

Ambient air pollution accounts for 4.2 million annual deaths globally, mostly due to acute respiratory infection.

As the air quality in India's national capital once again dips, know what air pollution does to every organ of your body.

(Photo: The Quint Lab)

Pollution season is back – and with a vengeance.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality in Delhi was classified as "very poor," with an AQI of 395 recorded at 6 AM on 1 November. On Diwali day, the AQI in Mumbai rose as high as 274, which is categorized as 'poor.'

Why do these numbers matter?

Brain, lungs, heart – extensive research shows that air pollution impacts every part of our body. In fact, it could damage our very cells.

Lungs

In the short run, breathing in air pollutants can irritate your airways and may cause shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, asthma episodes and chest pain.

Prolonged exposure can lead to serious:

• Lung damage

• Risk of bronchitis

• Asthma, particularly in children

Ambient air pollution accounts for 4.2 million deaths globally every year, mostly due to acute respiratory infection.

“I don’t remember when I last saw a pink lung in the operation theatre. And the clinical manifestation of that is the increase in the number of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cases,” remarks Dr Aravind Kumar, Chairman of the Institute of Chest Surgery and Lung Transplantation at Gurugram's Medanta Hospital.

Brain

Mounting evidence suggests exposure to lead, PM2.5 particles, and ozone from air pollution may be a key factor in causing:

• Increased risk of stroke

• Cognitive issues like dementia

• Parkinson's disease

• Alzheimer's disease

Exposure to air pollution can increase the risk of serious mental health issues such as schizophrenia and depression, found a recent study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

“Scientifically, it has been shown that pollution will reduce the thickness of the grey matter which is on the outer side, which is responsible for all our cognitive capacities. It makes the white matter, which is on the inside, fragile and moth-eaten. It reduces the size of vital memory areas of the brain and causes an overall shrinkage of the brain.”

Dr Manjari Tripathi, Neurologist, AIIMS Delhi

Heart

In the short run, air pollution mainly worsens pre-existing heart conditions in the elderly and vulnerable, and ups the risk of heart attacks.

In the long run, pollution is also believed to have inflammatory effects on the heart, causing chronic cardiovascular problems.

“Air pollution has a multifactorial effect on the heart. Not only are the pollutants and gases directly toxic to the heart (causing arteries to harden and blood to thicken causing clots and blockages, it also doesn’t allow you to exercise.”

Dr Vishal Rastogi, Director, Interventional Cardiology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi

Gut Health

Because the ecosystem in our guts is so complex, it can be difficult to pin down exactly what is causing a disbalance and stomach issues.

Urban airborne particulate matter (PM) ingested via contaminated food can lead to inflammation in the gut and alter gut microbiome and immune function.

“Research shows that air pollution is linked to change in the gut microbiota which are living in our digestive tract. When there is a change in the gut microbiota, then diseases like Crohn’s disease, IBS, and in some cases some liver diseases have also been linked to the change in the gut microbiota.”

Dr Ashwini Setya, Gastroenterologist

Reproductive health

In the past years, infertility has soared up, with little explanation.

However, researchers are now turning to air pollution as a possible cause for this uptick.

A study, conducted last year, based on data from interviews and questionnaires from 18,571 couples who were part of the China Fertility Survey of Married Women, found that women exposed to small particle pollution that was 10 micrograms per cubic meter higher over a year had a 20% greater risk of infertility.

Strong evidence also links air pollution to a higher risk of miscarriages, and premature birth.

“Young and middle-aged men are more affected by air pollution, and the possibility of damage to sperm at this age will be higher.”

Dr Richard Shaw, male reproductive health expert, Sheffield 

Blood

Air pollution has also been linked to anaemia in women in middle and lower-income countries. Every ten microgram/meter cube increases in ambient PM2.5 exposure, the average anaemia prevalence among women increases by 7.23 percent.

This may be especially indicative, and detrimental in a country like India where, according to the WHO’s data, over 50 percent of women have anaemia.