US EPA

2331995 

Journal Article 

Review 

The Health Effects of Exercising in Air Pollution 

Giles, LV; Koehle, MS 

2014 

1 

Sports Medicine
ISSN: 0112-1642
EISSN: 1179-2035 

44 

2 

223-249 

English 

24174304 

10.1007/s40279-013-0108-z 

WOS:000330985600006 

http:////link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40279-013-0108-z
Exit
 

The health benefits of exercise are well known. Many of the most accessible forms of exercise, such as walking, cycling, and running often occur outdoors. This means that exercising outdoors may increase exposure to urban air pollution. Regular exercise plays a key role in improving some of the physiologic mechanisms and health outcomes that air pollution exposure may exacerbate. This problem presents an interesting challenge of balancing the beneficial effects of exercise along with the detrimental effects of air pollution upon health. This article summarizes the pulmonary, cardiovascular, cognitive, and systemic health effects of exposure to particulate matter, ozone, and carbon monoxide during exercise. It also summarizes how air pollution exposure affects maximal oxygen consumption and exercise performance. This article highlights ways in which exercisers could mitigate the adverse health effects of air pollution exposure during exercise and draws attention to the potential importance of land use planning in selecting exercise facilities. 

Medical Sciences--Surgery; Particulate Matter; Carbon Monoxide; Air pollution; Exercise; Outdoor air quality; Cardiovascular disease; Heart attacks; Pollutants; Physical fitness; Oxidative stress; Bicycling; Heart rate; Mortality; Traffic congestion; Nitrogen dioxide; North America; Carbon Monoxide -- adverse effects; Lung -- physiology; Animals; Risk Assessment; Oxygen Consumption -- physiology; Transportation -- methods; Ozone -- adverse effects; Lung -- drug effects; Disease Models, Animal; Respiration Disorders -- chemically induced; Particulate Matter -- adverse effects; Cognition Disorders -- chemically induced; Exercise -- physiology; Cognition Disorders -- prevention & control; Respiration Disorders -- prevention & control; Cardiovascular Diseases -- prevention & control; Air Pollution -- adverse effects; Cardiovascular Diseases -- chemically induced