Air pollution linked to bone deterioration in postmenopausal women: Research

According to a new study headed by scientists at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, elevated levels of air pollution are linked to bone deterioration in postmenopausal women. The consequences were especially visible in the lumbar spine, where nitrous oxides were twice as destructive as normal ageing. The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal e Clinical Medicine, part of The Lancet Discovery Science family of open-access journals. Previous studies on individual pollutants have suggested adverse effects on bone mineral density, osteoporosis risk, and fractures in older individuals. The new study is the first to explore the connection between air pollution and bone mineral density specifically in postmenopausal women and the first to explore the effects of air pollution mixtures on bone outcomes.