Beijing ranks among the most polluted cities in the world with the air concentrations of carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter approaching or exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency's established limits. And while the Chinese government has taken steps to clean up the air for the 2008 Olympic Games, there is no guarantee that these steps will be effective. As such, performances at these games may suffer. This is especially so in those athletes that require high levels of ventilation for extended periods of time, such as marathoners. Exposure to elevated levels of these pollutants has been reported to result in cough, chest pain, difficulty in breathing, headache and eye irritation. More importantly, exposure can also bring on acute asthma attacks and respiratory infections, even in those without chronic asthma. This fear has recently been exemplified when U.S. cyclists donned protective masks upon their arrival as a precautionary measure. What effect the potentially high pollution levels will have on these athletes’ performances is hard to predict due to a lack of scientific data with this population. There are limited data to suggest that heavy exercise with exposure to elevated ozone levels can have a detrimental effect on pulmonary function. Whether these detriments translate into poor athletic performance is unknown. Hopefully, these games will not provide any anecdotal evidence.
Michael J. Berry, PhD, FACSM
Professor and Chair, Health and Exercise Science
Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
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