Link between chalk usage and lung disease?
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I am curious if there have been any studies looking at people who have long-term exposure to chalk and their probability of developing any form of lung disease? When I see all the chalk in the air in climbing gyms, I have to wonder how long term exposure to the stuff affect people's health over many years. |
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20 kN wrote: I have probably inhaled more than anyone here, so while it may affect brain cells it doesn't seem to be affecting my lungs. Chalk is inert and the body simply absorbs it. It's all the other stuff in the air you need to worry about. |
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Tradiban wrote: Silica dust, asbestos, and coal powder are all mostly inert and are still things I wouldn’t want traipsing around my lower airways… chalk dust inhalation is probably minor, but definitely bad for you long term. My 2 cents. |
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If it were a health hazard, I'm pretty sure we would have seen something in the mining industry. |
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From what I've seen the super pure Mag carbonate isn't an issue but the stuff with limestone can be. I read one interesting study that was suggesting that chalk helped prevent the infectivity of covid though. So maybe it's actually keeping us healthy? |
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Tradiban wrote: Inhaled microparticles can cause lung calcification, leading to loss of elasticity. |
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Frank Stein wrote: Yes, but why with chalk? Obviously asbestos is *more* carcinogenic then chalk, but why?? There within lies the information you seek. We breathe in all sorts of matter all day long, some of it gives us cancer yet alot of it doesn’t. Is it a mystery!? |
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Matthew Bell wrote: I think some found that liquid chalk would disinfect our hands as it contains alcohol. |
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Chalk up another one! |
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Tradiban wrote: It’s not cancer. Microparticles get permanently lodged in your alvioli, and these particles can bind with more particles, causing loss of elasticity and therefore volume, resulting in shortness of breath. Black lung (miners’ lung) is not cancer. |
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Frank Stein wrote: Yea, so don’t worry about chalk? And BTW asbestos IS carcinogenic, it’s called mesothelioma. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/asbestos |
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Tradiban wrote: Sigh. You are the one fixated on cancer. There are lung diseases other than cancer, you know. |
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I first inhaled chalk dust in the gymnastics gym at GaTech in 1954. Then, after introducing it to fellow climbers I continued inhaling it, along with years at the old fashioned blackboard while teaching. I'm 86 and stopped using chalk about 12 years ago. I retired from teaching in 2000. My lungs are fine - a little phlegm in the morning - and I am going out today for a few pullups and short hill rambling in 100 degree heat. Apparently, my microparticles and I have reached an agreement. |
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Tradiban wrote: Where are they sending your prize? And THANKS for the INFORMATION. |
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Michael Creel wrote: COPD is not fairly minor. It is a progressive disease and it's like the 3rd or 4th leading cause of death. Most people with COPD end up on oxygen and later end up on the transplant list. I would consider it serious. |
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Jaren Watson wrote: I never smoked. Otherwise pretty normal. And I didn't visit climbing gyms. I don't consider myself to be a rare physical specimen. My back is a mess. |
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My understanding is that there is a lack of published data driven information on this subject. I found two studies, one from India, and the other from Ethiopia, both claiming that their data indicated that chalk dust is an occupational hazard for teachers using chalkboards. I found nothing directly addressing the issue In industrial settings or climbing gyms. My personal suspicion is that prolonged high intensity chalk dust exposure is likely to produce and/or aggravate asthma/chronic obstructive lung disease, but I cannot offer any evidence to back up my suspicion. |
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Peter Lenz wrote: I agree, and consider the extremely serious nature, and severe disability caused by, obstructive chronic lung conditions, it certainly warrants a formal study. Plenty of rock climbers in academic fields. I am really surprised this hasent been studied by now considering there are millions of climbers. Add to the fact that chalk manufacture is unregulated and so no one really knows what other substances may be found in the chalk which could vary from company to company. |
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As a contact lens wearer I also find the ambient chalk dust floating in the air at my climbing gym really irritates my eyes, to the extent that I’ve been asked if I’ve been smoking the day after come back from the climbing gym. |
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Ah, I get what you are saying now. Yes, it could be a black lung situation here but that would require higher exposure than the average climber, perhaps the lifer at the gym but there’s not many of those. The teacher studies were inconclusive so I would say there’s bigger problems for climbers to worry about, like rockfall or bad belays. |
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20 kN wrote: I think it will get studies, eventually. But it is hard to study right now, because climbers tend to be younger, and all the exposure-related lung conditions are cumulative, and take many years to manifest. Climbers of John Gill’s generation have had years of exposure, sure, but also more likely spent most of their time outdoors, where the chalk exposure would be expected have less effect. And there is always a self-selection bias. People who keep climbing longer likely have the genetic makeup/physical characteristics that make it possible for them to stay healthy and keep climbing longer. I’m sure John can think of many friends who used to climb, and now don’t climb, and have a variety of age-related issues. Teasing out which of these issues might be related to climbing specifically, as opposed to, say, smoking, or occupational exposures through work, would require a large population study. And you don’t have a large population of older climbers. It was a tiny niche activity back then.
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