After abruptly leaving Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath’s podcast midway citing poor air quality as the reason, tech millionaire Bryan Johnson took to X and said, “Indians are justifiably outraged by the poor air quality they are exposed to daily.” He further added that this creates “serious negative health effects.” Johnson had explained that he had left the interview because the pollution triggered a skin rash, causing his “eyes and throat to burn.”
Taking to X, Bryan referenced a study highlighting how air pollution leads to liver inflammation, fibrosis, an imbalance in blood fats, and liver protein markers linked to alcoholism, along with gene dysregulation connected to cancer. He stressed that there is no level of PM2.5 that is considered safe.
The research he shared, involved exposing mice to 12 weeks of low-level traffic-related PM2.5 pollutants, which are tiny particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. This mimicry of daily exposure to city traffic pollution revealed alarming results. Even at low levels, the mice developed significant liver damage, with markers indicating the onset of alcoholism-related liver issues and gene expression changes linked to cancer.
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Bryan further put a spotlight in the findings of this study which showed the profound implications for public health, particularly in highly polluted regions. Giving a background of the study, Bryan wrote that air pollution is complex, and among its many harmful components, PM2.5—tiny particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream—stand out as the most common and dangerous pollutant, primarily associated with traffic and combustion engines.
He further explained how it slowly impacts people in their everyday lives. The study simulated long-term exposure to everyday “low-level” traffic pollution by collecting PM2.5 particles from busy roadways and administering them in a saline solution directly into the mice’s noses. A control group was given a pollutant-free solution for comparison.
Bryan also mentioned the conclusion of the study that serves as a powerful reminder that there is no safe level of exposure to air pollution, highlighting the urgent need to address it as a major public health issue. In highly polluted regions, such as Indiatackling air pollution could increase life expectancy more significantly than treating all cancers combined.
Additionally, the study provides clear evidence of how air pollution causes widespread damage throughout the body, extending far beyond just the lungs and respiratory system.
The tech millionaire also gave some tips to minimise “personal exposure” which included monitoring air quality, wearing an N95 mask, installing a higher-grade HVAC filter (MERV 13 or higher), using air circulation function in cars etc.
