Wood smoke
Wood smoke has been studied in 3 papers since 2022: 1 observational study in people, 2 in animals; 1 in the past year. The newest paper, Mar 2, 2026: “Ovarian hormone deficiency enhances wood smoke-induced immune dysfunction via transcriptomic and metabolic alterations”.
3 papers study it11 findingsUpdated
“subjects with WS exposure had a more rapid decline of FEV1 (- 4.3 ml/s, P = 0.025)”
None of its findings points the other way.
- 2 independent labs in 2 countries
- Funders: National Institute of General Medical Sciences and 6 more
- Humans1
- Animals2
What did studies of Wood smoke find?
10Studies of Wood smoke measured 10 outcomes; the most studied are oxidative phosphorylation (1 study), memory CD8 T cells (1) and immune response (1).
Oxidative phosphorylation
upin mice1
1 study
Oxidative phosphorylation
upin mice1
Wood smoke activates oxidative phosphorylation in mice.
“characterized by the reversal of OVX-induced suppression of oxidative phosphorylation and glycolytic activity”
Animalsin ovariectomized micebone marrow-derived macrophagesfemales
Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology
Memory CD8 T cells
upin mice1
1 study
Memory CD8 T cells
upin mice1
Wood smoke increases memory CD8 T cells in mice.
“This was associated with altered immune cell composition, including increased memory CD8+ T cells and decreased granulocytes and interferon-responsive populations.”
Animalsin ovariectomized micebone marrowfemales
Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology
Immune response
downin mice1
1 study
Immune response
downin mice1
Wood smoke inhibits immune response in mice.
“In OVX mice, WS broadly suppressed transcriptional programs involved in antigen processing, leukocyte activation, antiviral defense, and bone remodeling.”
Animalsin ovariectomized micebone marrowfemales
Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology
Motivation
downin mice1
1 study
Motivation
downin mice1
Wood smoke impairs motivation in mice.
“which revealed an increased immobility (reduction in motivation) immediately post-exposure and persisted for 10 weeks”
Animalspersisted for 10 weeks0.448mg/m 32 weeksfemalesn = 6
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biologyPreprint
Serotonin
downin mice1
1 study
Serotonin
downin mice1
Wood smoke decreases serotonin in mice.
“and a long-term reduction in serotonin that persisted for 10 weeks”
Animalspersisted for 10 weeksprefrontal cortex0.448mg/m 32 weeksfemalesn = 6
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biologyPreprint
NAD+
downin mice1
1 study
NAD+
downin mice1
Wood smoke decreases NAD+ in mice.
“WS caused a reduction in NAD+ within the prefrontal cortex immediately after exposure”
Animalsimmediately after exposureprefrontal cortex0.448mg/m 32 weeksfemalesn = 6
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biologyPreprint
Quality of life
downin humans1
1 study
Quality of life
downin humans1
Wood smoke impairs quality of life in humans (exceeding the minimal clinically important difference).
“WS exposure impaired all health domains with the increase in SGRQ scores exceeding the minimal clinically important difference.”
Humanswho ever smoked
Respiratory research
Lifespan
downin humans1
1 study
Lifespan
downin humans1
Wood smoke shortens lifespan in humans (3.5 year).
“and shortened the lifespan by 3.5 year.”
Humanswho ever smoked
Respiratory research
FEV1/FVC ratio
downin humans1
1 study
FEV1/FVC ratio
downin humans1
Wood smoke decreases FEV1/FVC ratio in humans (-0.093%, P = 0.015).
“and FEV1/FVC ratio (- 0.093%, P = 0.015)”
Humanswho ever smoked
Respiratory research
FEV1
downin humans1
1 study
FEV1
downin humans1
Wood smoke decreases FEV1 in humans (-4.3 ml/s, P = 0.025).
“subjects with WS exposure had a more rapid decline of FEV1 (- 4.3 ml/s, P = 0.025)”
Humanswho ever smoked
Respiratory research
What is Wood smoke linked with?
1Studies link Wood smoke with 1 measure, most often lung cancer (1 study).
Lung cancer
upin humans1
1 study
Lung cancer
upin humans1
Wood smoke raises the risk of lung cancer in humans (> 50%).
“WS exposure increased hazard for incidence of LC”
Humanswho ever smoked
Respiratory research
Funding
2 grants since 2018National Institute of Environmental Health SciencesUS$1.4m
Innate immune cell contribution in wood smoke induced effects to pulmonary function
National Institute of Environmental Health SciencesUniversity of MontanaUS$185k2021–2024
Residential Wood Smoke Interventions Improving Health in Native American Populations
National Institute of Environmental Health SciencesUniversity of MontanaUS$470.3k2014–2021