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Title: Implications of air pollution effects on athletic performance

Abstract

Both controlled human studies and observational studies suggest that air pollution adversely affects athletic performance during both training and competition. The air pollution dosage during exercise is much higher than during rest because of a higher ventilatory rate and both nasal and oral breathing in the former case. For example, sulfur dioxide, which is a highly water-soluble gas, is almost entirely absorbed in the upper respiratory tract during nasal breathing. However, with oral pharyngeal breathing, the amount of sulfur dioxide that is absorbed is significantly less, and with exercise and oral pharyngeal breathing a significant decrease in upper airway absorption occurs, resulting in a significantly larger dosage of this pollutant being delivered to the tracheobronchial tree. Recently, several controlled human studies have shown that the combination of exercise and pollutant exposure (SO/sub 2/ or O/sub 3/) caused a marked bronchoconstriction and reduced ventilatory flow when compared to pollution exposure at rest. In a situation like the Olympic Games where milliseconds and millimeters often determine the success of athletes, air pollution can be an important factor in affecting their performance. This paper examines possible impacts of air pollution on athletic competition.

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5114696
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Med. Sci. Sports. Exercise.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; AIR POLLUTION; HEALTH HAZARDS; OZONE; SULFUR DIOXIDE; EXERCISE; HUMAN POPULATIONS; INHALATION; LUNGS; RESPIRATION; BODY; CHALCOGENIDES; HAZARDS; INTAKE; ORGANS; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; POLLUTION; POPULATIONS; RESPIRATORY SYSTEM; SULFUR COMPOUNDS; SULFUR OXIDES; 560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)

Citation Formats

Pierson, W E, Covert, D S, Koenig, J Q, Namekata, T, and Kim, Y S. Implications of air pollution effects on athletic performance. United States: N. p., 1986. Web. doi:10.1249/00005768-198606000-00012.
Pierson, W E, Covert, D S, Koenig, J Q, Namekata, T, & Kim, Y S. Implications of air pollution effects on athletic performance. United States. https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-198606000-00012
Pierson, W E, Covert, D S, Koenig, J Q, Namekata, T, and Kim, Y S. 1986. "Implications of air pollution effects on athletic performance". United States. https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-198606000-00012.
@article{osti_5114696,
title = {Implications of air pollution effects on athletic performance},
author = {Pierson, W E and Covert, D S and Koenig, J Q and Namekata, T and Kim, Y S},
abstractNote = {Both controlled human studies and observational studies suggest that air pollution adversely affects athletic performance during both training and competition. The air pollution dosage during exercise is much higher than during rest because of a higher ventilatory rate and both nasal and oral breathing in the former case. For example, sulfur dioxide, which is a highly water-soluble gas, is almost entirely absorbed in the upper respiratory tract during nasal breathing. However, with oral pharyngeal breathing, the amount of sulfur dioxide that is absorbed is significantly less, and with exercise and oral pharyngeal breathing a significant decrease in upper airway absorption occurs, resulting in a significantly larger dosage of this pollutant being delivered to the tracheobronchial tree. Recently, several controlled human studies have shown that the combination of exercise and pollutant exposure (SO/sub 2/ or O/sub 3/) caused a marked bronchoconstriction and reduced ventilatory flow when compared to pollution exposure at rest. In a situation like the Olympic Games where milliseconds and millimeters often determine the success of athletes, air pollution can be an important factor in affecting their performance. This paper examines possible impacts of air pollution on athletic competition.},
doi = {10.1249/00005768-198606000-00012},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5114696}, journal = {Med. Sci. Sports. Exercise.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 3,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986},
month = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986}
}