Osteoporosis Risk Rises With Air Pollution Levels

[Miraj]

Chronic exposure to high levels of particulate matter (PM) air pollution 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) or larger, and 10 micrometers (PM10) or larger, in size is associated with a significantly higher likelihood of having osteoporosis, according to research presented at the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) 2022 Annual Meeting.

[Rini]

@miraj The pathogenesis of osteoporosis is thought to involve both genetic and environmental input, such as smoking, which is itself environmental air pollution, Adami said. The biological rationale for why air pollution might contribute to risk for osteoporosis comes from studies showing that exposure to indoor air pollution from biomass combustion raises serum levels of RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa ligand 1) but lowers serum osteoprotegerin — suggesting an increased risk of bone resorption — and that toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and aluminum accumulate in the skeleton and negatively affect bone health.