Suprathreshold Stimuli Can Cause Pathological Consequences, But So Can Subthreshold Stimuli
Reason #148 that Face Masks Hurt Kids
The wearing of a face mask to protect against a respiratory virus is an act of grand deceit. It is a behavior that defies research on the topic. Wearing a face mask, as this article (one of many) points to — is unsafe to do and is ineffective.
Until the narrative around mandatory masking has changed, each day by 6am Eastern, I will both post here and send out a science-based reason why no one should wear a face mask.
I ask that you help me circulate these pieces to those around you who you believe could most benefit from them. It is important not to remain silent on this topic. These are important discussions to be having with friends, family members, business owners, healthcare practitioners, public servants, and others in the community.
-Allan
Those behaviors that cause medical symptoms can harm you. We all know that. We each know when something is unmistakably wrong with us.
However, those behaviors that do not cause noticeable medical symptoms, those behaviors can harm you too.
That can be easier to forget.
Just because something does not immediately feel like it hurts, does not mean it is not doing harm to you. In fact, with face masks, we know the very opposite to be true.
We know that long before most people realize physical symptoms of masking, the face mask has already done them considerable harm.
Only time will tell how reversible or repairable that harm is, but the existence of harm — or subthreshold stimuli pathological consequences — is unquestionable.
Kai Kisielinski, in an April 20, 2021 article entitled “Is a Mask That Covers the Mouth and Nose Free from Undesirable Side Effects in Everyday Use and Free of Potential Hazards?” writes:1
“It is known from pathology that not only supra-threshold stimuli exceeding normal limits have disease-relevant consequences. Subthreshold stimuli are also capable of causing pathological changes if the exposure time is long enough. Examples occur from the slightest air pollution by hydrogen sulfide resulting in respiratory problems (throat irritation, coughing, reduced absorption of oxygen) and neurological diseases (headaches, dizziness).2
“Furthermore, subthreshold but prolonged exposure to nitrogen oxides and particulate matter is associated with an increased risk of asthma, hospitalization and higher overall mortality.3,4 Low concentrations of pesticides are also associated with disease-relevant consequences for humans such as mutations, development of cancer and neurological disorders.5 Likewise, the chronic subthreshold intake of arsenic is associated with an increased risk of cancer,6 subthreshold intake of cadmium with the promotion of heart failure,7 subthreshold intake of lead is associated with hypertension, renal metabolic disorders and cognitive impairment8 or subthreshold intake of mercury with immune deficiency and neurological disorders.9 Subliminal UV radiation exposure over long periods is also known to cause mutation-promoting carcinogenic effects (especially white skin cancer).”10
These well-established examples of harm done to people who report feeling fine, also applies to face masks. Kisielinski continues:
“The mask-induced adverse changes are relatively minor at first glance, but repeated exposure over longer periods in accordance with the above-mentioned pathogenetic principle is relevant. Long-term disease-relevant consequences of masks are to be expected. Insofar, the statistically significant results found in the studies with mathematically tangible differences between mask wearers and people without masks are clinically relevant. They give an indication that with correspondingly repeated and prolonged exposure to physical, chemical, biological, physiological and psychological conditions, some of which are subliminal, but which are significantly shifted towards pathological areas, health-reducing changes and clinical pictures can develop such as high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis, including coronary heart disease (metabolic syndrome) as well as neurological diseases. For small increases in carbon dioxide in the inhaled air, this disease-promoting effect has been proven with the creation of headaches, irritation of the respiratory tract up to asthma as well as an increase in blood pressure and heart rate with vascular damage and, finally, neuropathological and cardiovascular consequences.11 Even slightly but persistently increased heart rates encourage oxidative stress with endothelial dysfunction, via increased inflammatory messengers, and finally, the stimulation of arteriosclerosis of the blood vessels has been proven.12 A similar effect with the stimulation of high blood pressure, cardiac dysfunction and damage to blood vessels supplying the brain is suggested for slightly increased breathing rates over long periods.13,14 Masks are responsible for the aforementioned physiological changes with rises in inhaled carbon dioxide,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25 small sustained increases in heart rate20,26,27,28,29 and mild but sustained increases in respiratory rates.”18,20,26,30,31
Even when symptoms are not felt, the existence of sub-threshold stimuli causing physiological harm is enough to suggest the same could be true for a face mask. Even those who believe face masks do them no harm, because they feel fine, may, in fact, be harming themselves.
Kisielinski K, Giboni P, Prescher A, et al. Is a Mask That Covers the Mouth and Nose Free from Undesirable Side Effects in Everyday Use and Free of Potential Hazards? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(8):4344. doi:10.3390/ijerph18084344.
Simonton, D.; Spears, M. Human Health Effects from Exposure to Low-Level Concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfide. Occup. Health Saf. (Waco Tex.) 2007, 76, 102–104.
Salimi, F.; Morgan, G.; Rolfe, M.; Samoli, E.; Cowie, C.T.; Hanigan, I.; Knibbs, L.; Cope, M.; Johnston, F.H.; Guo, Y.; et al. Long-Term Exposure to Low Concentrations of Air Pollutants and Hospitalisation for Respiratory Diseases: A Prospective Cohort Study in Australia. Environ. Int. 2018, 121, 415–420.
Dominici, F.; Schwartz, J.; Di, Q.; Braun, D.; Choirat, C.; Zanobetti, A. Assessing Adverse Health Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Low Levels of Ambient Air Pollution: Phase 1 Research Report; Health Effects Institute: Boston, MA, USA, 2019; pp. 1–51.
Alleva, R.; Manzella, N.; Gaetani, S.; Bacchetti, T.; Bracci, M.; Ciarapica, V.; Monaco, F.; Borghi, B.; Amati, M.; Ferretti, G.; et al. Mechanism Underlying the Effect of Long-Term Exposure to Low Dose of Pesticides on DNA Integrity. Environ. Toxicol. 2018, 33, 476–487.
Roh, T.; Lynch, C.F.; Weyer, P.; Wang, K.; Kelly, K.M.; Ludewig, G. Low-Level Arsenic Exposure from Drinking Water Is Associated with Prostate Cancer in Iowa. Environ. Res. 2017, 159, 338–343.
Deering, K.E.; Callan, A.C.; Prince, R.L.; Lim, W.H.; Thompson, P.L.; Lewis, J.R.; Hinwood, A.L.; Devine, A. Low-Level Cadmium Exposure and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Elderly Australian Women: A Cohort Study. Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health 2018, 221, 347–354.
Kosnett, M. Health Effects of Low Dose Lead Exposure in Adults and Children, and Preventable Risk Posed by the Consumption of Game Meat Harvested with Lead Ammunition. In Ingestion of Lead from Spent Ammunition: Implications for Wildlife and Humans; The Peregrine Fund: Boise, ID, USA, 2009
Crinnion, W.J. Environmental Medicine, Part Three: Long-Term Effects of Chronic Low-Dose Mercury Exposure. Altern. Med. Rev. 2000, 5, 209–223.
Wu, S.; Han, J.; Vleugels, R.A.; Puett, R.; Laden, F.; Hunter, D.J.; Qureshi, A.A. Cumulative Ultraviolet Radiation Flux in Adulthood and Risk of Incident Skin Cancers in Women. Br. J. Cancer 2014, 110, 1855–1861.
Azuma, K.; Kagi, N.; Yanagi, U.; Osawa, H. Effects of Low-Level Inhalation Exposure to Carbon Dioxide in Indoor Environments: A Short Review on Human Health and Psychomotor Performance. Environ. Int. 2018, 121, 51–56.
Custodis, F.; Schirmer, S.H.; Baumhäkel, M.; Heusch, G.; Böhm, M.; Laufs, U. Vascular Pathophysiology in Response to Increased Heart Rate. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2010, 56, 1973–1983.
Russo, M.A.; Santarelli, D.M.; O’Rourke, D. The Physiological Effects of Slow Breathing in the Healthy Human. Breathe 2017, 13, 298–309.
Nuckowska, M.K.; Gruszecki, M.; Kot, J.; Wolf, J.; Guminski, W.; Frydrychowski, A.F.; Wtorek, J.; Narkiewicz, K.; Winklewski, P.J. Impact of Slow Breathing on the Blood Pressure and Subarachnoid Space Width Oscillations in Humans. Sci. Rep. 2019, 9, 6232
Pifarré, F.; Zabala, D.D.; Grazioli, G.; de Yzaguirre i Maura, I. COVID 19 and Mask in Sports. Apunt. Sports Med. 2020.
Rebmann, T.; Carrico, R.; Wang, J. Physiologic and Other Effects and Compliance with Long-Term Respirator Use among Medical Intensive Care Unit Nurses. Am. J. Infect. Control 2013, 41, 1218–1223
Roeckner, J.T.; Krsti´c, N.; Sipe, B.H.; Obiˇcan, S.G. N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirator Use during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review. Am. J. Perinatol. 2020, 37, 995–1001.
Georgi, C.; Haase-Fielitz, A.; Meretz, D.; Gäsert, L.; Butter, C. Einfluss gängiger Gesichtsmasken auf physiologische Parameter und Belastungsempfinden unter arbeitstypischer körperlicher Anstrengung. Deutsches Ärzteblatt 2020, 674–675.
Roberge, R.J.; Kim, J.-H.; Powell, J.B. N95 Respirator Use during Advanced Pregnancy. Am. J. Infect. Control 2014, 42, 1097–1100
Kyung, S.Y.; Kim, Y.; Hwang, H.; Park, J.-W.; Jeong, S.H. Risks of N95 Face Mask Use in Subjects with COPD. Respir. Care 2020, 65, 658–664.
Epstein, D.; Korytny, A.; Isenberg, Y.; Marcusohn, E.; Zukermann, R.; Bishop, B.; Minha, S.; Raz, A.; Miller, A. Return to Training in the COVID-19 Era: The Physiological Effects of Face Masks during Exercise. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports 2020.
Mo, Y.; Wei, D.; Mai, Q.; Chen, C.; Yu, H.; Jiang, C.; Tan, X. Risk and Impact of Using Mask on COPD Patients with Acute Exacerbation during the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Retrospective Study. Res. Sq. 2020.
Goh, D.Y.T.; Mun, M.W.; Lee, W.L.J.; Teoh, O.H.; Rajgor, D.D. A Randomised Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Fit, Comfort of a Novel N95 Mask in Children. Sci. Rep. 2019, 9, 18952.
Bharatendu, C.; Ong, J.J.Y.; Goh, Y.; Tan, B.Y.Q.; Chan, A.C.Y.; Tang, J.Z.Y.; Leow, A.S.; Chin, A.; Sooi, K.W.X.; Tan, Y.L.; et al. Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) Restores the N95 Face Mask Induced Cerebral Hemodynamic Alterations among Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Outbreak. J. Neurol. Sci. 2020, 417, 117078.
Tong, P.S.Y.; Kale, A.S.; Ng, K.; Loke, A.P.; Choolani, M.A.; Lim, C.L.; Chan, Y.H.; Chong, Y.S.; Tambyah, P.A.; Yong, E.-L. Respiratory Consequences of N95-Type Mask Usage in Pregnant Healthcare Workers — A Controlled Clinical Study. Antimicrob. Resist. Infect. Control 2015, 4, 48.
Roberge, R.J.; Kim, J.-H.; Benson, S.M. Absence of Consequential Changes in Physiological, Thermal and Subjective Responses from Wearing a Surgical Mask. Respir. Physiol. Neurobiol. 2012, 181, 29–35.
Liu, C.; Li, G.; He, Y.; Zhang, Z.; Ding, Y. Effects of Wearing Masks on Human Health and Comfort during the COVID-19 Pandemic. IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci. 2020, 531, 012034.
Beder, A.; Büyükkoçak, U.; Sabuncuo ˘glu, H.; Keskil, Z.A.; Keskil, S. Preliminary Report on Surgical Mask Induced Deoxygenation during Major Surgery. Neurocirugía 2008, 19, 121–126.
Li, Y.; Tokura, H.; Guo, Y.P.; Wong, A.S.W.; Wong, T.; Chung, J.; Newton, E. Effects of Wearing N95 and Surgical Facemasks on Heart Rate, Thermal Stress and Subjective Sensations. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 2005, 78, 501–509
Kao, T.-W.; Huang, K.-C.; Huang, Y.-L.; Tsai, T.-J.; Hsieh, B.-S.; Wu, M.-S. The Physiological Impact of Wearing an N95 Mask during Hemodialysis as a Precaution against SARS in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease. J. Formos. Med. Assoc. 2004, 103, 624–628
Johnson, A.T. Respirator Masks Protect Health but Impact Performance: A Review. J. Biol. Eng. 2016, 10, 4.
The bestselling book "Face Masks In One Lesson" by Allan Stevo describes how to never wear a face mask again. The follow-up to the book, "Face Masks Hurt Kids," describes why to never wear a face mask again. We must defeat the awful, narrative around the mandates.
Examples of how face masks hurt kids will be posted to the Lockdown Land Substack each morning by 6am Eastern until the narrative around this ineffective and harmful medical intervention has shifted. Face masks are, in fact, not just harmful to children. Face masks are harmful to everyone. Thank you so much for helping me circulate this research.