Breathing Dirty Air Causes Cardiovascular Havoc According To Scientists
In a study published in the online Journal Genome Biology,
Dr. André Nel, chief of nanomedicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a researcher at UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute and a team of 10 scientists conducted a study showing how the ultra fine particles in diesel exhaust activate genes that can cause heart attacks or strokes.
Diesel particles are coated in chemicals containing free radicals, and the fatty acids in LDL cholesterol generate free radicals during metabolism in the cells. We wanted to measure what happens when these two sources of oxidation come into contact.
—Ke Wei Gong, UCLA
Diesel particles enter the body's circulatory system from the lungs, and then react with fats in the arteries to alter how genes are activated, triggering inflammation that causes heart disease.
Other research has shown similar inflammatory damage in lungs exposed to fine particles. Diesel exhaust has also been linked to lung cancer, asthma attacks and DNA damage. "Our results emphasize the importance of controlling air pollution as another tool for preventing cardiovascular disease," said Ke Wei Gong, a UCLA cardiology researcher who was one of the study's authors.
Free radicals are potentially harmful oxygen atoms, which can damage cell structures so badly that DNA codes are altered and immunity is impaired. The good news is that the body synthesizes its own natural protectors, called antioxidants. These substances inactivate free radicals. Some of the most powerful are glutathione peroxidase, SOD (superoxide dismutase), and catalase. Unfortunately, our own antioxidants seldom give us all the protection we need. This is because few of us live in an unpolluted world.
Free radicals in the environment can overwhelm our naturally produced antioxidants. Damage comes from a myriad of sources including radiation, engine exhaust, certain prescription drugs, pesticides, and rancid foods as well as from cigarette smoke, heavy metals in the air, and other polluting agents.
The study looked at what happens when diesel particles interact with the fatty acids in cholesterol. More than 1500 genes were turned on. The next step is to develop a biomarker for this combination to predict which people are most at risk for developing heart disease from air pollution.
The American Cancer Society has reported a 6% increase in heart- and lung-related deaths for every 10 micrograms per cubic meter rise in particulates.
Fortunately, we can reinforce our health by ingesting the natural antioxidants found in whole
foods (and their extracts) and by taking potent antioxidant supplements. Thousands of published
studies show that antioxidants can reduce the risk of degenerative diseases (often reversing the
effects) and slow the aging process.
So, instead of holding our collective breath until our air gets breathebly healthy again, self preservation dictates becoming more familiar with antioxidant supplements – and adding them to our diets.
