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Link between chalk usage and lung disease?

Original Post
20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346

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.

Tradiban · · 951-527-7959 · Joined Jul 2020 · Points: 212
20 kN wrote:

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.

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.

Climbing Weasel · · Massachusetts · Joined May 2022 · Points: 0
Tradiban 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.

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. 

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,687

If it were a health hazard, I'm pretty sure we would have seen something in the mining industry.

Matthew Bell · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2022 · Points: 10

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?

Frank Stein · · Picayune, MS · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 205
Tradiban wrote:

Ok, why?

Inhaled microparticles can cause lung calcification, leading to loss of elasticity. 

Tradiban · · 951-527-7959 · Joined Jul 2020 · Points: 212
Frank Stein wrote:

Inhaled microparticles can cause lung calcification, leading to loss of elasticity. 

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!?

Stefan Jacobsen · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2022 · Points: 0
Matthew Bell wrote:

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?

I think some found that liquid chalk would disinfect our hands as it contains alcohol.

Steve Williams · · The state of confusion · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 235

Chalk up another one!

Frank Stein · · Picayune, MS · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 205
Tradiban 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!?

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.
I’m not saying that inhaling chalk will result in this, but inhaling other microparticles, such as silica, absolutely does. 

Tradiban · · 951-527-7959 · Joined Jul 2020 · Points: 212
Frank Stein 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.
I’m not saying that inhaling chalk will result in this, but inhaling other microparticles, such as silica, absolutely does. 

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

Frank Stein · · Picayune, MS · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 205
Tradiban 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

Sigh. You are the one fixated on cancer. There are lung diseases other than cancer, you know. 

John Gill · · Colorado · Joined Apr 2019 · Points: 27

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.

WF WF51 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2020 · Points: 0
Tradiban 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

Where are they sending your prize? And THANKS for the INFORMATION.

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
Michael Creel wrote:

a fairly minor COPD type thing, for which I use an inhaler. 

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.

John Gill · · Colorado · Joined Apr 2019 · Points: 27
Jaren Watson wrote:

With all due respect, sir, unless you’re just being humorous, this comment says less about the impact of prolonged exposure to chalk dust and more about the fact that you are a rare physical specimen.

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.

Peter Lenz · · Salt Lake City · Joined May 2008 · Points: 670

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.

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
Peter Lenz wrote:

My personal suspicion is that prolonged high intensity chalk dust exposure is likely to produce and/or aggravate asthma/chronic obstructive lung disease, 

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. 

Climbing Weasel · · Massachusetts · Joined May 2022 · Points: 0

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. 

Tradiban · · 951-527-7959 · Joined Jul 2020 · Points: 212

Frank Stein wrote:

Sigh. You are the one fixated on cancer. There are lung diseases other than cancer, you know. 

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.

Lena chita · · OH · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 1,667
20 kN 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. 

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. 


Suppose you wanted to run a study on chalk effect. How would you imagine this study? Recruit a bunch of indoor gym climbers, do some lung imaging, and compare to lung imaging of equivalent population of non-climbers? Stratify it by years of exposure? Also stratify it by the actual air quality measurements in different gyms? That is a heck of an expensive study! Where are you going to get money for it? And lung imaging likely won’t see anything in young people in the first place…


This article recaps the concerns. and confirms that no studies on climbers had been done, at least as of couple years ago. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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