Air Pollution Heavily Impacts Liver, Lung & Skin Health (+ More)

To talk about the gut, let’s chat about the lungs one more time. You see, inhaled insoluble particles (such as air pollutants) that deposit in the lungs are enveloped in mucus and cleared from the lungs. This defense mechanism is called mucociliary clearance and helps the body effectively transport unwanted toxins from the lungs to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract—aka, your gut.

This mechanism exposes the lungs to harsh particulate matter from pollutants, which impacts overall gut health and function. Emerging research reveals that air pollution has a profound effect on gut microbiota health and leaves lipids (especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, aka PUFAs) vulnerable to attacks from free radicals. This implicates not only the integrity of the detoxification system, but whole-body health, as a healthy gut supports mental well-being, immune function, endocrine health (i.e., hormonal balance), and more.