Is there any scientific info about effects of air pollution during exercise?

Question

In my city, some advocacy groups are raising awareness about the dangers of vehicle exhaust nearby parks and other places where people exercise.

However, we couldn't get to "the heart" of the body of knowledge about influences of vehicle air pollution (small particles and gases) specifically over people who are performing physical activity.

Is there any classic study on the subject?

Answer 1

Classic studies usually link air pollution with lung conditions.

I find this recent study extremely interesting though:

Researchers from Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium split a group of 24 runners into two groups: those from urban areas and those from rural areas.

During a 12-week period, the two groups were asked to run three days a week around noon. One group exercised in a rural area, the other group in a busy urban setting. Then, researchers gave the subjects a test to measure their response time and attention span.

They found that those that ran in the city had lower IQ scores and had a higher risk of brain inflammation, according to the Daily Mail. Says http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/1212/jogging-outside-could-make-you-dumber-6432.aspx

The original study can be found here:

Bos, Inge, et al. "Subclinical effects of aerobic training in urban environment." Med Sci Sports Exerc 45.3 (2013): 439-47.

If we check the references of this article, we can find some other interesting ones:

os I, Jacobs L, Nawrot TS, et al. No exercise-induced increase in serum BDNF after cycling near a major traffic road. Neurosci Lett.2011; 500(2):129-32.

Int Panis L, de Geus B, Vandenbulcke G, et al. Exposure to particulate matter in traffic: A comparison of cyclists and car passengers. Atmos Environ. 2010. 44...

etc

Answer 2

Let me suggest you these articles for a start:

• G Lippi, GC Guidi, N Maffulli. Air pollution and sports performance in Beijing. "There is little doubt that the presence of several air pollutants might be detrimental to athletic performance due to the marked increase (up to 20-fold) in ventilatory rate and concomitant nasal and oral breathing. Moreover, mouth breathing often bypasses the nose during strenuous exercise, increasing the deleterious effects of pollutants on health and athletic performance."
• WE Pierson, DS Covert, JQ Koenig…. Implications of air pollution effects on athletic performance. "The combination of exercise and pollutant exposure (SO2 or O3) 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."
• AJ Carlisle, NCC Sharp. Exercise and outdoor ambient air pollution. "Athletes and exercisers should avoid exercising by the road side even though levels of the more noxious air pollutants have been controlled in the United Kingdom. O3 is particularly damaging to athletes."
• WC Adams. Effects of ozone exposure at ambient air pollution episode levels on exercise performance. "It appears that factors associated with ventilatory limitation impair both V̇O2max and prolonged heavy exercise (> 65% V̇O2max) performance. The observation that ozone exposure, which induces significant pulmonary function impairment, also incurs an increased perceived exertion during submaximal exercise strongly supports this contention."

If not classics, I think they are some of the most cited articles in the subject. Hope it helps.