Good Air There's only one way to freshen the air in a room: Open the windows or the air vents to add fresh, clean air. And yet many people have the impression that spraying chemicals into the air will produce "freshness." Your nose might be fooled, but your lungs know what fresh air is - it's NOT a spritz from chemical formulas with names like "mountain glade" or "summer breeze." Your lungs are not what they used to be. That's true of just about every adult because deterioration of lung function is a fact of life, or rather a fact of aging. But there are two things you can do to help protect your lungs from decline: 1) Make sure you're getting ample amounts of nutrients that support lung health (more on that in a moment), and 2) Avoid inhaling solvents called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are contained in many household products. In a new study just published in Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Services examined data on more than 950 adults who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Each of the subjects had undergone tests that revealed VOC levels in the blood and measures of lung function. Analysis showed that a widely used VOC known as 1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB) was linked to reduced lung function. And although the link is described as "moderate," researchers noted that poor pulmonary function from 1,4-DCB exposure is a risk factor for heart disease and lung cancer and could present particular dangers for patients with asthma and other lung conditions. In the conclusion to the study, researchers write, "This common exposure may have long-term adverse effects on respiratory health." Air fresheners, toilet bowl deodorants and mothballs are the products most likely to contain 1,4-DCB. And while discontinuing use of these products may help alleviate the problem, WebMD Medical News cites a 1987 study which found traces of 1,4-DCB in 80 percent of the homes surveyed, but 1,4-DCB products were only used in one-third of the homes. Like so many of the toxins in our lives, 1,4-DCB may find us even if we take steps to avoid it. So after getting rid of household products that contain this chemical, what else can we do to help support lung health? We'll turn to three studies to answer that question. In the e-Alert "Where is the Care in my Healthcare?" (1/16/06), I told you about an Australian study that examined data on more than 14,000 subjects. Each had undergone lung capacity tests, and vitamin D levels were measured from blood samples. Analysis revealed a significant association between D concentrations and lung capacity. And in the e-Alert "C-ing Stars" (6/12/02), I featured a lung function study in which 2,500 subjects were surveyed to assess the relationship between diet, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). After a nine-year follow up, researchers found that subjects who consumed higher amounts of vitamin C had better lung function than those with low C intake, and higher intakes of C and magnesium were associated with improved lung function among asthma and COPD patients. Finally, in the e-Alert "Roll Out the Barrel" (4/4/06), we looked at a French study that analyzed blood samples and lung function in more than 500 subjects. After an eight-year follow up, results showed that lung function decline was significant in subjects with the lowest beta-carotene levels when compared to subjects with the highest beta-carotene levels. Researchers stated that the results "strongly suggest that beta-carotene protects lung function in the general population." Sources:
"Volatile Organic Compounds and Pulmonary Function in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994" Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 114, No. 8, August 2006, ehponline.org
"Air Fresheners Linked to Lung Damage" Daniel DeNoon, WebMD Medical News, 7/27/06, webmd.com | 
