Impact of chlorine?

Taking a warm shower or lounging in a hot tub filled with chlorinated water, one inhales chloroform (a carcinogen). This is why I outfitted my bathroom with a SCUBA tank, so I don’t have to breath chloroform gas. That and other gasses generated in the bathroom. My herbalist was horrified that I swim in a chlorinated pool and felt that my swimming in a pool regularly would cause "excessive free radical formation, which accelerates aging, increases vulnerability to genetic mutation and cancer development, hinders cholesterol metabolism, and promotes hardening of arteries. My herbalist said the same thing, which is why I replaced the sand in my filter with Green Tea and I now fill my chlorinator with Ginkgo.

i suspect chlorine is why i used to get headaches swimming in the pool. i don't get them when i swim in the ocean.

The toxicity of chlorination byproducts has been known for many years (it isn't really even that surprising -- after all, the whole purpose of disinfection is to kill organisms). Google "disinfection byproducts" or "DBPs" to get more than you need, or check Wikipedia under "chlorination." Web pages of organizations such as EPA or AWWA (American Water Works Association) will probably give you more technical info if you are interested. Dissolved chlorine will react with organic compounds to produce most of the DBPs, including trihalomethanes (THMs) such as chloroform. Treatment of sewage will produce the most DBPs since wastewater contains a much higher organic content; the issue is then the effect of these compounds on the receiving water body. The poster who talked about exposure during showers is correct: most people will have maximum exposure during showering with chlorinated water. The higher temperature will drive volatiles like chloroform into the air, where we breathe them in. But swimmers have that extra source of exposure to chlorination DBPs. Certainly disinfection (even with byproducts) is much preferable than the alternative: increased pathogens in drinking water, swimming pools, and rivers/lakes. The key is to find something that is both effective, affordable and reasonably safe. Alternative processes include ozone and uv treatment. I believe ozonation is pretty common in Europe for drinking water treatment. These processes also produce DBPs but they are generally believed to be less harmful than those produced by chlorination. I am fortunate to swim at a facility that uses uv for one pool and ozone for the other. The reason they switched was the air quality produced by chlorination was just terrible -- poor ventilation, I guess -- and the kids were suffering pretty badly, especially those with asthma. Switching to uv/ozone cleared the problem right up. And the decrease is air quality is very apparent when they add large volumes of (chlorinated) city water to the pool.

Ah yes, this reinforces my decision NOT to sit in hot tubs. I also use a chlorine blocking lotion (DermaSwim Pro) when I swim. It has vastly reduced the itching/rashes that I get from swimming and I no longer reek of chlorine for days. Yes, I'm sure that immersing myself in chlorine is bad, but I feel worse when I don't swim.

I gotta say I'm skeptical on all of this including the effect of chlorine on hair loss. I'm also a 4X3500 type of swimmer with no hair loss. If it accelerates aging wouldn't regular swimmers die earlier? Why do we see so many healthy 70+ year old Masters swimmers? Hinders cholesterol metabolism when we know vigorous exercise is a proven way to increase the "good" choleterol? Increases vulnerability to genetic mutation? Puhleeeeezzzzze...... Should lifetime swimmers be susceptible to strange growths on our bodies? I'm curious too - how many eye doctors do you have? Your post makes it sound like you have more than two. No need to preach to the choir. But if I sprout an extra appendage or a third eye, I'm outa here. However, I think these physicians from Emory were referring to genetic mutation at the cellular level. They *say* chlorine reacts with organic compounds in water to produce THM trihalomethanes or carcinogenic byproducts leading to increased risk of certain types of cancer and miscarriage. A SMALL excerpt from some of the literature I was given. . . Taking a warm shower or lounging in a hot tub filled with chlorinated water, one inhales chloroform (a carcinogen). Warm water opens the pores, causing the skin to act like a sponge, and so one will absorb and inhale more chlorine in a 10-minute shower than by drinking eight glasses of the same water. This irritates the eyes, the sinuses, throat, skin and lungs, makes the hair and scalp dry, worsening dandruff. It can weaken immunity (I think some of the eye docs and ENTs are coming across this info as they are spouting it back to their patients - like me). Industrial chemist J.P. Bercz, PhD, showed in 1992 that chlorinated water alters and destroys unsaturated essential fatty acids (EFAs), the building blocks of people's brains and central nervous systems. The compound hypochlorite, created when chlorine mixes with water, generates excess free radicals; these oxidize EFAs, turning them rancid. Studies in Belgium have related development of deadly malignant melanoma to consumption of chlorinated water. Franz H. Rampen, et al., of the Netherlands, state that the worldwide pollution of rivers and oceans and the chlorination of swimming pool water have led to an increase in melanoma. Sodium hypochlorite, used in chlorination of water for swimming pools, is mutagenic in the Ames test and other mutagenicity tests. Recent research has found a new hazard in chlorinated water: a byproduct called MX. A research team from the National Public Health Institute in Finland discovered that, by causing genetic mutations, MX initiates cancer in laboratory animals. And DCA (dichloro acedic acid) in chlorinated water alters cholesterol metabolism, changing HDL ("good") to LDL ("bad") cholesterol--and causes liver cancer in laboratory animals. Anyhoo, perhaps there is an MD or PhD on this board who is knowledgeable in this area of chlorine and it's effects. I'd like to know if I should worry about all this. I figure swimming still has to be better for you than :drink::drink: What's not going to kill us these days. . . Bottom line, there are still plenty of Emory docs who stick their kids in swimming. I'm curious too - how many eye doctors do you have? Your post makes it sound like you have more than two. Saw 5 (including 2 lacrimal, 1 retinal specialist, 1 general opth, and 1 ENT) over the past year due to my having eye surgery. :toohurt: Only the ENT was PRO-swimming.

There is an auto-immune disorder called Alopecia areata. The body's white blood cells are triggered for some un-known reason to attack the hair follicles. It can be mild where you lose hair in patches usually on the head or severe where you lose all body hair. It has nothing to do with chlorine or age. No one knows exactly what causes it and there is no cure. I know because I have had it for 18 months have no hair at all. I am active, take vitamins, eat well, swim and work out at a gym but still lost all my hair over a year. If you are concerned you need to see a Dr or a dermatologist to find out if this is what you have. The benifits of swimming for fitness far outweigh the risk of some possible skin irritations caused by chlorine. Our pool recently was changed to a salt water system and it has made no difference to my hairloss.

No need to preach to the choir. But if I sprout an extra appendage...I'm outa here. ...though maybe your forum nickname will be more fitting...:bump:

...though maybe your forum nickname will be more fitting...:bump: :rofl::rofl::rofl: Gotta give you that one.

:rofl::rofl::rofl: Gotta give you that one. Oh no you won't!! I don't care how cute you are!:lmao: Cholorine does a number on my sinuses and eyes I flush and flush yet it tales all day to get right. It's a small price for me though. with all the stuff that's bad for us, I'll take the risks of swimming. the skin cancer thing is no different to going out in the sun...get checked once a year so that way, you have a jump on anything. I go yearly and have had 4or 5 moles removed...to date nothing has come back on biopsy.

after 48 years swimming in public baths in England/Ireland, found out now allergic to chlorine/chloride. Everytime I get itchy tops of inside legs and most recently neck, burnt/hurting under arms, really badly. Can only rest when this happens and apply lots of cream. Doctor suggests I put vaseline on me before swimming!!!! Any help out there? eve