For years, we have known that air pollution makes it harder to breathe and worsens respiratory conditions. However, new research shows that it can also disrupt hormones and worsen menopause symptoms.
What's happening?
Inside Climate News recently reported that high pollution levels are linked to an additional decrease in estrogen and accelerated estrogen declines in menopausal women. The evidence comes from researchers at the University of Michigan, who published a paper exploring how fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone in air pollution disrupt sex hormones.
The researchers concluded that exposure to air pollution "could potentially intensify menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, sleep issues, and memory problems."
Why is air pollution's effect on menopause important?
These findings are significant because they contribute to our growing understanding of how air pollution impacts reproductive health and aging.
"Menopause is an important predictor of future chronic disease," said Sung Kyun Park, an author of the study and an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan, per Inside Climate News. "The management of menopause is really important to the woman's health later in life. If air pollution plays a role, we need to take care of that."
When women breathe in dirty air for many years, they may experience menopause at an earlier age, reduce their number of childbearing years, and suffer from worse menopause symptoms. Scientists "still have to figure out how [the] hormonal changes will affect menopause symptoms," per the news outlet.
This is one of several recent discoveries about the worrisome effects of air pollution on reproductive health. Scientists have also linked air pollution to decreased pheromones that result in less attraction and mating. Meanwhile, common pesticides in the environment may also be causing declines in sperm counts worldwide.
What's being done about air pollution?
The scientific community is now even more motivated to study the extent of air pollution's impact on the human reproductive system.
"The question just becomes the magnitude of the effect that we are seeing," Audrey Gaskins, an associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, told Inside Climate News.
Research is an integral part of the air pollution issue, as are policy changes, industry shifts, and individual commitments. Going beyond the demographic of menopausal women, regardless of age or gender identity, there is a lot you can do to reduce your air pollution exposure and not contribute to the problem.
You could drive less, eliminate your use of chemicals from household products, and stay indoors on days with high pollution levels. Your approach to transportation, heating and cooling your home, and cleaning your personal space has a significant impact on you and any vulnerable people breathing air around you.
With greater awareness of air pollution's many effects and what we as individuals can do to curb it, we can live healthier, symptom-free lives.
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