Researchers trace invisible health hazard back to everyday activity: 'There is no safe level of exposure'
New research shows that air pollution from traffic doesn't just hurt your lungs: it's silently attacking your liver, too, potentially leading to serious health problems, as detailed by Earth.com.
A study by the University of Technology Sydney discovered that even modest exposure to traffic-related air pollution could harm your liver and increase your risk of developing fatty liver disease.
Tiny particles called PM2.5 (about 3% the diameter of a human hair) enter your bloodstream through the lungs when you breathe polluted air. Your liver (the organ that filters toxins from the blood) then accumulates these substances.
"We think of air pollution as being harmful to people's lungs, but it has a broader impact on health including on the liver," said lead author Hui Chen, a professor at the university.
Fatty liver disease affects one in three Australian adults and is more common in those who are overweight or have diabetes. It can lead to inflammation, cirrhosis, cancer, or even organ failure if left unchecked.
"The liver is critical for metabolism. It clears toxins, regulates blood sugar, and produces essential vitamins and proteins, among many other functions. If the liver isn't functioning properly, it can leave people feeling tired and unwell due to disrupted metabolism," Chen explained.
In the study, published in the Journal of Environmental Sciences, mice exposed to typical urban pollution levels showed no change after four weeks. However, by eight weeks, their liver function was disrupted, and by twelve weeks, they had significant inflammation, scarring, and fat buildup.
"Previous research has shown that exposure to heavily polluted air is associated with liver disorders, however this study reveals even low levels can cause harm. It suggests there is no safe level of exposure to traffic-derived air pollution," said Chen.
You can take steps to protect yourself from harmful particles in traffic. Avoid peak-hour commutes when possible to reduce your exposure to the worst pollution. Close your car windows and use air recirculation mode when driving in heavy traffic.
Consider wearing a mask when walking or cycling in highly polluted areas. Choose less congested routes when traveling whenever you have the option.
Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home?
Yes — always
Yes — often
Yes — sometimes
No — never
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
The researchers are exploring treatments that could help your liver resist pollution damage. In the meantime, maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and limit your alcohol intake to keep your liver in good shape.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
2 days ago
- Medscape
Do Sugary Drinks Raise Dementia Risk in Older Adults?
Higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) or artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) in later life was not associated with the risk for all-cause dementia, pooled data from six large prospective cohort studies showed. However, more research to examine the impact of such beverages in younger cohorts is warranted. The null associations were consistent across subgroups defined by age, sex, BMI, and presence of chronic disease and the findings were robust in sensitivity analysis, reported the authors, led by Hui Chen, with the School of Public Health, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. The study was published online on June 18 in JAMA Psychiatry. Mixed Data Previous observational studies have suggested possible links between high consumption of sweetened beverages and increased dementia risk, although findings have been inconsistent. To provide more definitive evidence, researchers analyzed long-term data from 10,974 adults enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study (2013), the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (1987-1995), the Chicago Healthy and Aging Project (1993-2012), the Rush Memory and Aging Project (1997-2005), the Framingham Heart Study original cohort (1986-1994), and its offspring cohort (1991-2001). The mean age at baseline was 73 years and 60% were women. SSB and ASB intake were assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires and dementia diagnoses were confirmed through active follow-up and standardized clinical protocols. A total of 2445 participants developed dementia during 116,067 person-years of follow-up. The consumption of SSB and ASB was not associated with increased dementia risk. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) per serving per week was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.98-1.01; P = .18) for SSB and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.99-1.01; P = .99) for ASB. Even among those consuming at least one daily serving, no statistically significant association was found (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.78-1.03 for SSB and HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.84-1.21 for ASB). The narrow CIs indicate 'relatively high precision,' the investigators noted and 'suggests that the lack of associations is less likely due to inadequate statistical power and more reflective of an absence of association between SSB, ASB, and dementia risk.' Key strengths of the six studies include the long-term follow-up — 10.7 years on average — which is longer than most prior studies, and the inclusion of only older adults, therefore excluding early-onset dementia. The limitation is that the study population had a lower prevalence of daily SSB and ASB intake (roughly 10%) compared with the general US older population, where it's estimated that roughly 20% of individuals aged 55 years or older consume these beverages daily. Summing up, Chen and colleagues said their findings suggest that in late life, consumption of sweetened beverages may not independently increase the risk for dementia. However, given their harmful effects on metabolic health and related chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, the effects of early-life consumption of SSB and ASB on the risk for dementia need to be investigated, they noted.
3 days ago
This Australian moth uses the stars as a compass to travel hundreds of miles
NEW YORK -- An Australian moth follows the stars during its yearly migration, using the night sky as a guiding compass, according to a new study. When temperatures heat up, nocturnal Bogong moths fly about 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) to cool down in caves by the Australian Alps. They later return home to breed and die. Birds routinely navigate by starlight, but the moths are the first known invertebrates, or creatures without a backbone, to find their way across such long distances using the stars. Scientists have long wondered how the moths travel to a place they've never been. A previous study hinted that Earth's magnetic field might help steer them in the right direction, along with some kind of visual landmark as a guide. Since stars appear in predictable patterns each night, scientists suspected they might help lead the way. They placed moths in a flight simulator that mimicked the night sky above them and blocked out the Earth's magnetic field, noting where they flew. Then they scrambled the stars and saw how the moths reacted. When the stars were as they should be, the moths flapped in the right direction. But when the stars were in random places, the moths were disoriented. Their brain cells also got excited in response to specific orientations of the night sky. The findings were published Wednesday in the journal Nature. It 'was a very clean, impressive demonstration that the moths really are using a view of the night sky to guide their movements,' said Kenneth Lohmann, who studies animal navigation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was not involved with the new research. Researchers don't know what features of the night sky the moths use to find their way. It could be a stripe of light from the Milky Way, a colorful nebula or something else entirely. Whatever it is, the insects seem to rely on that along with Earth's magnetic field to make their journey. Other animals harness the stars as a guide. Birds take celestial cues as they soar through the skies and dung beetles roll their remains short distances while using the Milky Way to stay on course. It's an impressive feat for Bogong moths whose brains are smaller than size of a grain of rice to rely on the night sky for their odyssey, said study author David Dreyer with Lund University in Sweden. 'It's remarkable that an animal with such a tiny brain can actually do this,' Dreyer said. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
This Australian moth uses the stars as a compass to travel hundreds of miles
NEW YORK (AP) — An Australian moth follows the stars during its yearly migration, using the night sky as a guiding compass, according to a new study. When temperatures heat up, nocturnal Bogong moths fly about 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) to cool down in caves by the Australian Alps. They later return home to breed and die. Birds routinely navigate by starlight, but the moths are the first known invertebrates, or creatures without a backbone, to find their way across such long distances using the stars. Scientists have long wondered how the moths travel to a place they've never been. A previous study hinted that Earth's magnetic field might help steer them in the right direction, along with some kind of visual landmark as a guide. Since stars appear in predictable patterns each night, scientists suspected they might help lead the way. They placed moths in a flight simulator that mimicked the night sky above them and blocked out the Earth's magnetic field, noting where they flew. Then they scrambled the stars and saw how the moths reacted. When the stars were as they should be, the moths flapped in the right direction. But when the stars were in random places, the moths were disoriented. Their brain cells also got excited in response to specific orientations of the night sky. The findings were published Wednesday in the journal Nature. It 'was a very clean, impressive demonstration that the moths really are using a view of the night sky to guide their movements,' said Kenneth Lohmann, who studies animal navigation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was not involved with the new research. Researchers don't know what features of the night sky the moths use to find their way. It could be a stripe of light from the Milky Way, a colorful nebula or something else entirely. Whatever it is, the insects seem to rely on that along with Earth's magnetic field to make their journey. Other animals harness the stars as a guide. Birds take celestial cues as they soar through the skies and dung beetles roll their remains short distances while using the Milky Way to stay on course. It's an impressive feat for Bogong moths whose brains are smaller than size of a grain of rice to rely on the night sky for their odyssey, said study author David Dreyer with Lund University in Sweden. 'It's remarkable that an animal with such a tiny brain can actually do this,' Dreyer said. ___
