A recent study showed the effects of air pollutants from industrial smoke and auto exhaust to a person’s risk of developing diabetes. It was observed that people living proximate to industrial areas or in places where the quality of air is below the standards of EPA, or the Environmental Protection Agency, have diabetes prevalence of 20 percent more than people living in less polluted environments.

The study conducted by the Harvard School of Medicine and Boston Children’s Hospital established the direct effects of air pollution to the development of degenerative diseases like diabetes. Until now, studies have acquired very less data on a possible cure for the disease. Medical experts can also advice an individual to take measures in preventing the onset of diabetes. And with strong consideration to the new study, people with high risk of developing diabetes have another thing to avoid - being exposed to high levels of air pollution.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is usually associated with glycosuria, or the unusual occurrence of sugar in a person’s urine, and elevated levels of sugar in the blood. The commonly known symptoms of diabetes are:

• Polyuria or frequent urination
• Polydipsia or increased thirst
• Polyphagia or increased hunger

Diabetes can affect a person’s vision since the change in the body’s glucose absorption has a corresponding effect on the eyes - it makes the lenses change in shape. There are two more common types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is associated with the body’s inefficiency to produce enough insulin to control blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, happens when the cells fail to properly use insulin to assimilate glucose. Another type of diabetes is Gestational diabetes which, as the term implies, only happens in pregnant women. The patient suddenly experiences increased blood sugar during pregnancy. This is sometimes sustained after childbirth as type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes and Air Pollution:  Is there a link?

The link between diabetes and air pollution remained strong despite the other known predisposing factors of diabetes such as race, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle. Though further study of a larger scale is needed to confirm the relationship between diabetes development and air pollution, the data that the researchers were able to acquire pose significant indications. The head of the research team, John Brownstein, PhD, said that it is already a fact that air pollution is one of the primary risk factors for cardiovascular diseases but exposure to poor air quality may also influence the onset of other health conditions.

The researchers used data from EPA, US Census Bureau, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to analyze the relationship between several factors including race, population density, obesity rates, ethnicity, education, income, health insurance coverage, and air pollution levels and diabetes. As they had expected, obesity rate had a strong influence over the prevalence of the disease condition but their study also showed a strong link between high levels of air pollution and diabetes. Allison Goldfine, MD, from the Joslin Diabetes Center of the Harvard School of Medicine, said that the trend was also evident in areas where air pollution is high but is still on EPA’s standard.

Other studies showed that chronic inflammation in animals results to insulin resistance. The researchers are looking at the relationship between the inflammation caused by toxic air pollutants and diabetes as the possible root-cause of the influence of air pollution to the development of the disease.

Antioxidants to Fight Air Pollution Health Threats

Air pollution has become a big threat to people's health and well-being. One of the major problems faced by developing countries is pollution because the effects can be seen, not only in the environment, but in people’s heath as well. Besides the issue of global warming, air pollution is also being linked to several health conditions like respiratory diseases, cancer and even diabetes.

To keep the body healthy, one is faced with limited options; you can either move to a less polluted place (which is an unlikely option especially for those who find employment in urban areas), or protect yourself by taking supplements and eating foods rich in compounds known to counteract the effects of air pollution. For the latter, antioxidants have been proven by several scientific studies to be potent in protecting the body from free radicals and other harmful toxins and substances carried by polluted air.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, taking antioxidant supplements can help the body overcome the damages caused by the chronic exposure to polluted air. The researchers from the University of California discovered that antioxidants can reduce the risk of pulmonary damage caused by ozone pollution. They gathered a group of non-smokers aged 18 to 35 and divided them into two smaller groups. The first group was restricted to an antioxidant-rich diet while the rest of the participants received a diet plan which deprived them of antioxidants. The two groups were asked to perform physical activities to test their lung function. They were also exposed to ozone gas to simulate a polluted environment. Ozone gas is produced from the reaction of smog to ultraviolet light from the sun. As a conclusion, participants who received high dosage of antioxidants through diet and supplementation showed better lung function than the ones who did not.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

One of the richest sources of antioxidants is fish oil which contains high dosage of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 is a naturally-occurring substance that can be found in the brain. The preventive and proposed curative value of Omega-3 is a constant subject of research. And recent studies have proven the efficacy of Omega-3 fatty acids in fighting diseases which are commonly linked to free radicals from air pollution. This potent antioxidant can also be bought in capsule form as a supplement. Besides fish oil, krill oil had also been proven to contain high dosage of omega-3 fatty acids.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 is an oil-soluble substance with vitamin-like properties which naturally occurs in the body. It is primarily found in the mitochondria of cells and can be synthesized through artificial means. In the US, CoQ10 is one of the most used and sold supplement following vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids.  Several studies show significant evidence of the influence of CoQ10 in preventing and fighting diseases. Studies have also shown that CoQ10 helps the body fight the adverse effects of air pollution.

Rich sources of antioxidants

• Whole grains and whole wheat products are rich sources of phytochemicals that combat carcinogens.  It also contains vitamin E which is a strong antioxidant.
• Soy products like soy sauce and soy curd contain Genistein and isoflavones that helps in the prevention of prostate, colon and breast cancer
• Berries contain high amounts of antioxidants and ellagic acid that kills carcinogens.
• Broccoli is a known natural source of indole-3-carbinol that helps prevent the development of breast cancer by breaking down estrogen in the body and it also contains the protective properties of beta-carotene.
• Carrots contain potent antioxidant beta-carotene
• Tea has been proven by different studies to have potent preventive properties against several types of cancer due to its theaflavin content, which fights free-radicals in the body
• Tomatoes contain lycopene that prevents cancer.  It also contains the antioxidant glutathione that helps boost the immune system and makes the body more prepared to face constant exposure to air pollution.

Sources
diabetes.webmd.com
crumcreek.com
sciencedaily.com
nlm.nih.gov