New Delhi: In the wake of the persisting poor air quality in the national capital, doctors sounded an alarm on Wednesday about a surge in digestive issues like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
The air quality in Delhi-NCR has reached alarming levels, dangerously poor and nearing the ‘severe’ category in several locations across the region.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s average air quality index (AQI) stood at 358 as of 7:30 a.m.
The AQI surpassed 400, marking ‘severe’ levels in areas like Bawana (412), Mundka (419), NSIT Dwarka (447), and Wazirpur (421).
Air pollution is a known health risk that can lead to respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, and even mental health problems. It is also a considerable threat to digestive health.
“Long-term air pollution exposure is responsible for activating free radicals, leading to inflammatory responses. This might lead to carcinogenic changes or inflammatory disorders in the digestive systems,” Dr. Harshal R Salve, Additional professor, centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, told IANS.
“We have been witnessing several gastrointestinal and metabolic conditions due to air pollution. The harmful particles and gases in polluted air, when inhaled, can lead to systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, which disturb gut health and impact the microbiome — the collection of trillions of bacteria in our intestines that play a critical role in digestion, immunity, and overall health,” Dr Sukrit Singh Sethi, Consultant – Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Liver Transplantation, Narayana Hospital, Gurugram.
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The experts said IBS and IBD, along with conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis — a type of IBD — have been closely associated with pollution exposure.
“The systemic inflammation triggered by pollution may lead to metabolic disturbances that impact digestion and overall health,” Sethi said.
It’s crucial to note that children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing health conditions are bearing the brunt of the adverse effects of air pollution on digestive health. Children’s immune systems and digestive systems are still developing, making them more susceptible, while older adults often have weakened immune responses and compromised gut health.
Research has also linked exposure to air pollution with gastrointestinal diseases. It shows that particulate matter and toxic chemicals can enter the digestive system, disrupt the gut microbiota balance, and lead to digestive problems.
Dr Praveen Gupta, Principal Director and chief of Neurology at Fortis Hospital, told IANS that traffic exhaust fumes, home wood burning, and elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide, which can be ascribed to industrial emissions, gardening equipment, power plants, and construction and exhaust fumes, are the major contributors to air pollution.
Salve calls for reducing the impact of air pollution on the human body by including antioxidants in diets, such as citrus fruits and nuts.
The experts also recommended limiting outdoor activities during peak pollution times, typically in the early morning and evening, and using masks, especially in highly polluted environments.
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–IANS
