Unless you live in a bubble, you’re exposed to air pollution.

But it’s only since scientists have been able to get microscopic with the matter that makes up pollution that we’ve learned the extent to which it can harm us.

One example is toxic heavy metals. Lead, the most notorious, has been found to contribute to heart disease, heart damage and hardening of the arteries. You’re probably most familiar with the threat of lead in water, but it’s also in food and the air we breathe.

But lead isn’t the only tiny, invisible toxic particle floating around. A 17-year study identified three air pollutants that, over time, can increase the risk for dangerous blood clots in veins that bring blood to the heart…

Blood clot danger in the air we breathe

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) describes blood clots that develop in deep veins and block blood flow, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can occur in the legs, arms or an internal organ. A pulmonary embolism is an example of a blood clot breaking away from a deep vein and making its way to the lungs.

Previous research has suggested a link between air pollution and VTE. But a recent study, considered one of the most detailed in the U.S., followed 6,651 adults from 2000 to 2018, and has revealed the true extent of the danger, providing crucial information about the risks we face.

The study participants lived in or near six major metropolitan areas: New York, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

During the study period, almost 250 of the participants were admitted to hospitals for developing VTEs. The researchers analyzed the relationship between the patients and their levels of air pollution collected through extensive biweekly community-level monitoring — including samples taken from their homes. They also compared participants with the highest exposure to those with the lowest.

They were able to identify three pollutants contributing to VTE and the percentage of risk…

• Fine particles – tiny air pollution particles measuring 2.5 micrometers or less, which can be inhaled from smoke coming from coal-burning power plants and forest fires, as well as from motor vehicle exhaust. Participants with greater overall exposure to this type of air pollution had a 39% higher associated risk for VTE than those exposed to lower levels.
• Nitrogen and nitrogen dioxide pollutants are most often found in vehicle exhaust. Exposure to these two pollutants increased the risk of VTE by a whopping 121% and 174%, respectively.

Reducing the risk of VTE

In addition to air pollution, well-known risks for developing VTE include:

• Prolonged inactivity
• Injury or surgery
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Medications like birth control pills and hormone therapy

These risk factors can be reduced by staying active, following a healthy diet, stopping smoking and discussing your current medications or upcoming surgeries with your doctor.

If you get a VTE, your doctor may prescribe a blood thinner like warfarin and treat you for long-term symptoms or complications.

To avoid the air pollution risk for VTE, you can’t ignore the inflammation factor…

Air pollution sets the stage for inflammation, which initiates blood clotting, decreases the body’s natural anticoagulation mechanisms and impairs the fibrinolytic system — a network of proteins and enzymes with a crucial role in breaking down fibrin, a protein necessary in the formation of blood clots.

When fighting inflammation, “you are what you eat” takes on a whole new meaning. Ultra-processed foods are associated with driving up inflammation, so avoid them.

Choose instead inflammation-busting foods like:

• Olive oil
• Tomatoes
• Nuts (including walnuts and almonds)
• Green leafy vegetables (like broccoli, kale, spinach and collard greens)
• Fatty fish (such as salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel)
• Fruits (like blueberries, strawberries, oranges and cherries)

One particularly beneficial anti-inflammatory food is natto, a traditional Asian dish made from fermented soybeans. Its primary ingredient, nattokinase, is an enzyme known to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, while also possessing fibrinolytic and antithrombotic properties, meaning it can help break down fibrin and clots.

Sources:

Long term exposure to air pollution linked to blood clots in veins that bring blood to the heart — Science Daily

Air pollution is associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis — Blood

Nattokinase as an adjuvant therapeutic strategy for non-communicable diseases: a review of fibrinolytic, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects — Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy