Pool chemical affects lungs of competitive swimmers: Study

Chlorine vapors and byproducts may affect
the lungs of competitive swimmers: Study

Indoor pools exposing swimmers to chlorine may be tied to lung damage similar to that seen in people with mild asthma, according to a study cited in a Reuters article.

The French/Canadian study involved 23 elite swimmers, 10 mild asthmatics and 10 healthy, non-allergic people, who had to perform breathing tests and have their lung tissue tested. The samples were taken during the off-season.

The researchers found that the swimmers’ lung tissue samples had almost six times as many immune cells associated with asthma and allergies, compared to the lung tissue of healthy participants.

It was a similar amount to the lung tissue in mild asthmatics.

Unlike the healthy participants, both swimmers and asthmatics groups had evidence of scar tissue in the lungs.

The results do not mean that elite swimmers will develop asthma later, as inflamed lung tissue was not associated with asthma symptoms like coughing and wheezing.

However, more research may need to be done about the effect of chlorine in water and air as well as the chlorine byproducts that are formed when chlorine reacts with human sweat, urine and hair, for example.

Some of these byproducts may be hazardous to human health escape into the air just above the waterline, where swimmers breathe them in, the researchers say.

The chemical exposure may also make swimmers more sensitized to allergens like pet dander, pollen and dust. More than half of competitive swimmers are sensitive to these allergens, the researchers say.

Still, the benefits of physical exercise may still outweigh any concerns.

The researchers’ tips for reducing chemical exposure in pools include:

• Avoid pools with a strong chlorine smell in the air. This is a sign that pool chemicals are badly managed
• Try saltwater pools (although they also use chlorine)
• Practice good hygiene: Always take a shower before entering a pool; never use it as a urinal

Source: Reuters Health in Chicago Tribune

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Are indoor swimming pools bad for your health?

Researchers are trying to pinpoint the long-term effects of the chemicals in pool water and ambient air

The chemicals used in indoor swimming pools
may affect people's health and well-being.
Photo by Lee Coursey

For professional swimmers and lifeguards, the constant exposure to chemicals and odors in indoor swimming pools may lead to health problems down the road.

The chlorine used in the water and chloramines, which are formed when chlorine reacts with other contaminants give off strong odors, and previous studies have linked swimming in indoor pools with asthma and bronchitis in children.

Chlorine is such a common ingredient in pool water and tap water because it inactivates most disease-causing germs in seconds.

Chemical reacts with other contaminants

But each swimmer that delves into a pool is inadvertently adding contaminants to the water, including sweat, hair, urine, makeup, sunscreen and more.

When these pollutants react with the chlorine, they produce strong-smelling chloramines – an odor that regular indoor swimmers are familiar with.

Without a proper ventilation or filtration system, the volatile organic compounds tend to hang around and be inhaled by coaches, lifeguards, spectators and swimmers.

More research on inhalation hazards
is needed, experts say.

The answer, experts say, may lie in finding a better system for water disinfection. They also recommend better training and regular testing and maintenance to use the chemicals in proper amounts and to store them safely.

Swimmers themselves can minimize their contribution to the pollutants by taking a shower before entering the pool.

Source: CNN Health

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