Have you ever felt an inexplicable invigoration while drawing in the crisp, untainted air of nature? Beyond the absence of pollutants, this sensation might signify a far more intricate phenomenon.
When contemplating nourishment, our minds instinctively wander to the foods we consume. However, a thorough examination of scientific inquiries reveals compelling evidence suggesting that humanity may absorb certain essential nutrients directly from the air, according to the Conversation.
In a transformative perspective article featured in Advances in Nutrition, a novel terminology emerges—aeronutrients—a designation aimed at distinguishing these airborne essentials from gastronutrients, which are derived from gastrointestinal absorption.
The proposition is clear: respiration may act as a supplementary mechanism, delivering vital elements like iodine, zinc, manganese, and select vitamins. Despite the robust evidence supporting this hypothesis, it has eluded widespread recognition. But why has this revelation remained veiled?
Breathing: The Eternal Rhythm
With each day, humans inhale approximately 9,000 liters of air—a staggering 438 million liters over a lifetime. Unlike the episodic nature of eating, respiration is an incessant process, allowing prolonged exposure to air’s minute constituents, as reported by the Conversation.
Scientific investigations into air’s health implications predominantly focus on detrimental factors, such as pollutants. This emphasis has obscured the potential for beneficial components. The minute concentration of nutrients per breath has historically rendered their impact seemingly negligible.
Yet, the wisdom of ancient cultures venerating the health benefits of pristine air finds its foundation in emerging science. Consider oxygen: an indispensable chemical substance sustaining life’s fundamental functions. While rarely referred to as a nutrient due to its mode of intake, it exemplifies the essence of aeronutrients.
Pathways of Aeronutrient Absorption
Aeronutrients penetrate the body through an intricate network of microscopic blood vessels located within the nasal passages, lungs, olfactory epithelium (the sensory hub for smell), and oropharynx (the throat’s posterior region).
Remarkably, the lungs exhibit an extraordinary capacity to absorb molecules up to 260 times larger than those processed by the digestive tract. These molecules enter the bloodstream and even the brain in their intact forms, according to the Conversation.
The swift efficacy of inhalable substances—ranging from nicotine to anesthetics—underscores the lungs’ potency in delivering compounds at concentrations far lower than oral ingestion requires. This contrasts with the gastrointestinal system, which dismantles substances into their elemental components, subjecting them to hepatic metabolism and detoxification.
Decades of Overlooked Evidence
Many scientific breakthroughs, although intuitive in hindsight, often go unnoticed. Research from the 1960s revealed that laundry workers exposed to airborne iodine exhibited elevated iodine concentrations in their blood and urine.
In more recent studies, Irish researchers observed children living in coastal regions abundant in seaweed—a natural source of atmospheric iodine. These children displayed significantly higher iodine levels in their urine, correlating with lower incidences of iodine deficiency, independent of dietary factors. This indicates that airborne iodine, particularly in seaweed-rich locales, functions as a veritable aeronutrient, as per the Conversation.
Similarly, manganese and zinc can infiltrate the brain through olfactory neurons, underscoring both their essentiality and potential toxicity at excessive levels. Welders, for instance, face heightened risks due to manganese overexposure from inhalation.
Olfactory and respiratory cilia possess specialized receptors capable of binding an array of aeronutrients, including calcium, choline, vitamin C, magnesium, and even amino acids. Research dating back over 70 years demonstrated that aerosolized vitamin B12 effectively combats deficiency, presenting a vital intervention for at-risk populations such as vegans, the elderly, and individuals with diabetes or chronic alcohol consumption.
The Road Ahead: Exploring Aeronutrients
Substantial gaps persist in our understanding. Initial efforts must delineate which atmospheric components in natural environments like forests, oceans, or mountainous terrains confer tangible health benefits. Thus far, investigations have concentrated primarily on air’s deleterious elements—pollutants, allergens, and particulate matter, according to the Conversation.
Next, it becomes imperative to classify these beneficial elements as bona fide aeronutrients. With aerosolized vitamin B12 already proven safe and efficacious, future research might explore aerosolized forms of other micronutrients, such as vitamin D, to address pervasive deficiencies.
Rigorous experimentation under controlled conditions will be necessary to establish dosing, safety profiles, and dietary contributions of aeronutrients. This inquiry holds particular relevance in air-filtered settings like airplanes, hospitals, submarines, and extraterrestrial habitats.
Perhaps, in the not-so-distant future, aeronutrients will emerge as a preventative measure against diseases linked to urbanization. Nutrition guidelines might advocate for deliberate inhalation of aeronutrients or recommend immersive interactions with nature to harness their full potential—complementing a well-rounded diet with the invisible bounty of the air.