Air pollution increases stress hormones & changes metabolism
Breathing particulate-laden air causes stress hormones to spike, according to new research. This could help explain why long-term exposure to pollution is associated with heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and a shorter life span.
Dr. Haidong Kan of Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and colleagues looked specifically at the health effects of particulate matter (PM), small particles less than 2.5 millimeters in diameter, from industrial sources, that can be inhaled and become lodged in the lungs. While PM levels have gone down in North America in recent years, they are on the rise worldwide.