Posted on: July 22, 2026
In recent days, Ontario has been engulfed in a smoky haze, filling the air with smoke from wildfires. It has reduced air quality and prompted health advisories across the province. The greatest concern comes from the tiny particles and dangerous gases we inhale into our lungs which then can penetrate into our heart.
But what does breathing this harmful air mean for your long term health?
A Canadian study published in the journal Stroke (1) examined nearly 7,000 middle aged adults, where they used relatively low levels of everyday air pollutants including fine particle matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide released from cars, wildfires, and industry to compare people's performances over time. It has shown that individuals exposed to higher levels of air pollution scored worse on tests of memory, comprehension, and mental processing speed (2).
Researchers have shown that exposure to air pollution, especially fine particle matter (PM2.5) can lead to negative effects on people's cardiovascular health and the development of cardiovascular disease (3).
But there is hope. A study published in the journal Chemosphere (4) exposed Sprague-Dawley rats to ambient fine particles (PM2.5). The rats experienced inflammation and oxidative stress which both contribute to cardiovascular injury. But some rats were treated with vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, which demonstrated reduced cardiovascular damage and stronger antioxidant responses.
The combined treatment of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids provided the strongest protective effects suggesting that these essential nutrients may help reduce some air pollution-related cardiovascular risks in humans (5).
Research from King’s College London and the University of Nottingham (6) showed that vitamin E may reduce the impact of air pollution on our lungs. Those with lower levels of Vitamin E showed impaired lung function after exposure to fine particle matter (PM2.5). This suggests that vitamin E can help protect against oxidative damage caused by air pollutants such as the Ontario wildfires.
Ensuring adequate vitamin E intake through a healthy diet may strengthen the body’s antioxidant defenses by limiting the harmful effects of air pollution and supporting your overall health.
References:
Association of Air Pollution With Brain Health: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Adults Living in Canada https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.125.054251 Beard, C. (2026, May 14). Everyday air pollution linked to poorer brain function, study finds. McMaster News. https://news.mcmaster.ca/everyday-air-pollution-linked-to-poorer-brain-function-study-finds/USEPA, O. (2021, September 17). Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease Basics. Www.Epa.Gov. https://www.epa.gov/air-research/air-pollution-and-cardiovascular-disease-basicsDu, X., Jiang, S., Bo, L., Liu, J., Zeng, X., Xie, Y., He, Q., Ye, X., Song, W., & Zhao, J. (2017). Combined effects of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids on protecting ambient PM2.5-induced cardiovascular injury in rats. Chemosphere, 173, 14–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.01.042Link between vitamin E, exposure to air pollution. (2026). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150515001122.htmVitamin E may help ‘counteract’ health effects of air pollution. (2024). Airqualitynews.Com. https://airqualitynews.com/uncategorised/vitamin-e-may-help-counteract-health-effects-of-air-pollution/