How Dangerous Is Indoor Air Pollution and What Can We Do About It?
How often do you think about your indoor air quality? Probably not enough. Did you know that indoor air pollutants are hiding in your home? Short-term and long-term symptoms of indoor air pollution may seriously impact your health. Indoor air pollution may lead to allergies, asthma, weight gain, depression, anxiety, brain fog, autoimmunity, cardiovascular issues, and cancer.
Cleaning up your indoor air is critical for your overall health. In this article, I will discuss the importance of clean indoor air, potential symptoms of indoor air pollution, and health issues associated with poor indoor air. I will offer some simple solutions for clean indoor air, including using one of my favorite air purifiers for improved health.
The Importance of Clean Indoor Air in Your Home
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) consistently ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risk factors to public health (1, 2) Indoor air pollution can be harmful to everyone. I will go over the health risks of indoor air pollution shortly. What may be the most alarming, however, is that indoor air pollution can be particularly harmful to your children’s developing bodies and health. A 2005 review published in Pediatric Nursing states that poor air circulation and indoor air pollution can result in increased health and safety issues among school-age children in the United States (3).
Common Indoor Air Pollutants
Common indoor air pollutants may include but are not limited to (4):
Asbestos
Cookstoves and heaters
Biological pollutants
Carbon monoxide
Pesticides
Lead (Pb)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
Formaldehyde
Secondhand smoke and any environmental tobacco smoke
Indoor particulate matter
Wood smoke
Radon (RN)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Common biological indoor air pollutants may include but are not limited to (5):
Mold
Pollens, from plants
Viruses, transmitted by people and animals
Bacteria, carried and transmitted by people, animals, plant debris, and soil
Animal dander, saliva, and other pollutants from household pets
Droppings and body parts from rodents, cockroaches, and other pests or insects
Protein in the urine of rats, mice, and other rodents that can turn airborne once dry
Contaminated central air handling systems that can increase mold, mildew, and other toxin contamination
Symptoms of Poor Indoor Air Quality
Being exposed to poor indoor air quality may lead to various chronic symptoms of indoor air pollution. Symptoms of indoor air pollution can often lead to respiratory problems, however, they may also lead to non-respiratory symptoms.
Symptoms of indoor air pollution may include but not limited to (6):
Sneezing
Coughing
Watery eyes
Allergy symptoms
Upper-respiratory symptoms
Headaches and migraines
Dizziness
Brain fog
Fatigue and sleep issues
Health Issues from Indoor Air Pollution
Being exposed to indoor air pollution may result in short-term symptoms. Short-term symptoms of indoor air pollution are usually frustrating but not serious or life-threatening. Unfortunately, constant exposure to poor indoor air can result in chronic symptoms of indoor air pollution, long-term effects, and ongoing health problems. Long-term symptoms of indoor air pollution may range from allergies to weight gain, depression to autoimmune disease, cardiovascular problems to cancer, and so on. Let’s look at the long-term health issues and chronic symptoms of indoor air pollution.
Allergies
Allergy-related symptoms are a rather common issue among children and adults in the United States. Yet, when you think of allergies, spring, summer, and pollen outdoors comes to mind, not indoor air pollution. Yet, as the book, Indoor Allergens — Assessing and Controlling Adverse Health Effects published by the Journal of American Medical Association states, sneezing, runny nose, swelling, headaches, skin rashes, fatigue, and other common allergy-related symptoms may be often due to indoor air pollution (7). A good indoor air purification system may reduce allergy symptoms of indoor air pollution.
Asthma
Indoor air pollution may also contribute to increased symptoms of asthma and indoor air purifiers may help to reduce your risks. According to a 2005 study published in the Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health, indoor air pollution may seriously affect your respiratory health (8). Asthma is a respiratory health concern. Air toxins and other indoor air pollutants may trigger asthma attacks and may make your symptoms worse.
Weight Gain
Stubborn weight gain, weight fluctuations, and difficulty losing weight despite a healthy diet, regular movement, and healthy lifestyle, maybe the result of indoor air pollution. According to a 2016 animal study published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, indoor air pollution may cause increased weight gain compared to breathing in clean, filtered air (9). Though we still need human studies to see if air pollution can contribute to weight gain in people, investing in an indoor air purifier system has so many benefits, weight loss or weight maintenance may just be an added bonus.
Mood and Mental Health
Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can be complex. Genetics, traumatic events, hormonal imbalances, diet, and lifestyle can all play a role. It seems that indoor air quality may be a missing piece in the mental health puzzle. A 2012 study published in Environmental Health Perspective has found a connection between indoor air pollution and depression in older people (10). A 2015 study published in BMJ has found a potential connection between indoor air pollution and anxiety (11).
Brain Health
Since indoor air may affect your mental health, it may not be surprising that it may also affect your brain health as well. According to a 2022 review published in Medical News and Perspectives, indoor air quality may have an impact on your brain health (12). It may lead to brain fog, concentration issues, headaches, migraines, and fatigue. This connection may be due to your body’s increased inflammatory response to environmental toxins in indoor air, affecting your mental and brain health (13). Using an indoor air purifier system may also benefit your brain and mental health.
Autoimmunity
Autoimmune conditions are characterized by an immune response against your own body destroying its own cells, tissues, and organs. Autoimmune diseases are increasingly prevalent. They are complex issues in which many genetic, dietary, lifestyle and environmental factors may play a role. Indoor air pollution may be a small piece of the puzzle. A 2016 research published in Environmental Research has found that particle fine air pollution may lead to an inflammatory response in those with a systemic autoimmune disease (14). This increased toxin exposure may increase chronic inflammation, the immune response, and the risk of autoimmunity and autoimmune symptoms. An indoor air purifier may help to reduce your symptoms.
Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is a serious health issue and the leading cause of death in the United States (15). As with most serious health conditions, many factors may play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease, including genetic, dietary, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Indoor air pollution may also contribute to your risk of cardiovascular disease and indoor air purifiers may play a small role in reducing your risks. A 2017 study published in the Free Radical Biology and Medicine has found that indoor air pollution can increase oxidative imbalance, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation, which may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease (16).
Cancer
Cancer refers to a group of diseases that involve abnormal cell growth that can spread across your body and lead to serious health consequences, including death. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide (17). Cancer is a complex health issue. Genetics, diet, lifestyle, environmental factors, and other health issues may all play a role. Toxin exposure, including indoor air pollution, may be one of the factors that can contribute to cancer. According to a 2013 study published in Cancer Causes & Control, indoor air pollution may increase the risk of lung cancer (18). A 2016 study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention has found that it may increase the risk of all kinds of cancer, including lung, breast, and digestive cancer (19).
How to Reduce Indoor Air Pollutions — Solutions for Clean Indoor Air
You can clearly see that poor indoor air quality may lead to frustrating symptoms of indoor air pollution and may cause a serious health risk. Cleaning up your indoor air is critical. One of my number one tips is using a high-quality indoor air purifier. However, before I get into my favorite air purifier systems, I want to offer you some equally important tools to improve your indoor air quality and reduce indoor air pollution.
Choose Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
Conventional cleaning, hygiene, body, and beauty products are loaded with toxins and chemicals. The perfumes, smell, and toxic particles from these products may linger in your indoor air for a long time. I recommend choosing organic, natural, and homemade options instead.
Choose Essential Oils Instead of Air Fresheners
You may love the nice, though often unnatural, smell of air fresheners in your car, bathroom, or other areas of your home. Unfortunately, conventional air fresheners are full of chemicals and toxins that may harm your health. Instead, try diffusing essential oils that smell nice and natural without the harm of conventional air fresheners.
Improve Your Cleaning Habits
Mold, allergens, toxins, and bacteria can easily hide in an unkempt home. Dust your home regularly to reduce allergy triggers. Clean up pet hair, debris, and any other problems. Instead of just focusing on visible surfaces, look for hidden corners and under the bed or other furniture as well. Check for indoor mold and if you have a mold issue, get it professionally eradicated right away.
Chrysanthemums are one of the best indoor air cleaners!
Get Some Indoor Plants
Keeping some indoor plants can brighten up your home and your spirit. They look and often smell nice. They help you to connect with nature even when staying inside. Better yet, indoor plants increase fresh oxygen and clean air.
Get an Indoor Air Purifier
One of my most important tips that many people overlook is getting a high-quality home air purifier with a HEPA air filter. Using a home air purifier may be the best strategy to fight and eliminate indoor air pollution. It is simple to use yet brings you the abundance of benefits of clean indoor air. A good air purifier is able to filter out tiny particles and toxins to keep your indoor air clean, fresh, and healthy and keep your body healthy and energized as well. In the next section, I will share my top air purifier recommendations to improve your health.
Indoor Air Purifier Recommendations
Choosing an air purifier system can be difficult. There are so many air purifiers on the market at different price points. But are they all equal? Today, I want to share the three brands I trust, love, and personally use. I highly recommend any of these home air purifiers to fight indoor air pollution.
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EOS Indoor Air Purifier
My favorite indoor air purifier is EOS. It helps to capture 99.5% of pathogens, including <2.5 micron particles and biological pathogens, viruses, bacteria, mold, dust, allergens, dander, chemicals, smoke, and VCOs. It’s low maintenance and energy-efficient.
“The EOS by Secure air is the only portable air purification device on the market that can capture the fine and ultrafine particles that otherwise can’t be moved by traditional airflow. Those captured particles are then transported back to the device to be inactivated and killed.” Research
Alen Air Indoor Air Purifier
Another great air purifier is the Alen Air air purifier. It helps to clean up your indoor air from allergens, dust, mold, dander, smoke, wildfire smoke, chemicals, and VCOs with the help of a high-quality HEPA filter. They have different sizes and price points for different needs. It’s so quiet, perfect for your bedroom without disturbing your sleep.
Final Thoughts
Clean indoor air is absolutely critical for your overall health. Indoor air pollution may contribute to short-term and long-term symptoms and serious health issues, including allergies, asthma, respiratory issues, brain and mental health problems, weight gain, autoimmunity, cardiovascular issues, and cancer. Keeping your indoor air clean is critical. I recommend that you follow my tips for clean indoor air and try one of my favorite air purifiers, the Alen Air or EOS to protect your health.
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are based on personal experiences, opinions, and my own research. Information on this website is for educational purposes and is not meant to diagnose, replace, treat or cure any medical or mental health condition. Please see your doctor with any health-related questions. Statements on this website have not been approved or evaluated by the FDA. While perusing this site, please use your best judgment in conjunction with your Naturopath or other health care provider.
