Study Shows Possible Link Between Indoor Chlorinated Pools and DNA Damage
Click to choose your favorite networking site
by Amy, September 14, 2010
Study Shows DNA Damage
Could Make Indoor Swimming Less Healthy
A new study on indoor swimming
health shows that the chemicals used in many indoor pools could cause DNA damage
and eventually lead to cancer. As many environmentalists and greenies read this
article, they may rethink the effectiveness indoor swimming has on their
well-being and physical health. The report doesn’t mention whether cheap
swimming pool chemicals are at fault or any other specific reasons as far as the
actually chemicals used are concerned. This makes many of us wonder why there
are not more eco-friendly and green pool supplies out there on the market.
In this report (stemming from
3 different articles), Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) states that the
most obvious way to reduce the possibility of these damaging health side-effects
is to simply reduce the amount of chemicals used in indoor swimming pools. That
seems like an understandable conclusion no doubt.
EPH states that indoor
chlorinated pools may encourage “genotoxicity” (DNA harm that may cause cancer).
The same report states that there are also harmful respiratory effects that may
stem from indoor swimming pool chemicals.
This report may take the steam
out the favorite part of your workout for sure. But, like many situations where
your daily routine may cause cancer, do the positive effects of swimming
outweigh the chance of poor health? Some of you may even ask –“What’s next, my
drinking water?” Read on, that’s coming.
This study is actually the
first to offer a complete description of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in an
indoor pool atmosphere. It is also the very first report to address
“genotoxicity” from exposure to indoor pool chemicals among swimmers.
If you are a swimmer, whether indoor or outdoor,
chances are you have never even heard of DBPs. You know not to pee in pools, but
you probably never thought of the actual reason other than the fact that it is
gross. You never considered the bi-product’s actual chemical effect. By-products
appear in pool water from reactions between such disinfectants as your typical
chlorine and organic matter that is either present in nature or is created by
swimmers. This is not to say that we are talking about just peeing in pools
either. Skin cells and sweat are also organic matter that swimmers bring to pool
water.
Preceding epidemiologic studies have suggested
connections between contact to DBPs in drinking water and it’s relation to
bladder cancer.
Where are all the eco-friendly and green
swimming pool supplies? Are cheap swimming pool supplies no different than the
name brands you pay extra for? One thing for sure is that chlorinated pools are
where these studies stem from. Saltwater pools and other natural filter systems
seem to be the way to go. As with most things less chemicals = better health.
While this is an interesting find, this is the
first of such studies on indoor swimming conditions leading to DNA problems and
cancer. This was a short-term examination where approximately 50 people were
tested. That tells us that there are certainly more research to be done. The
main take-away is that we all need to open our eyes a little wider when it comes
to our environment and the chemicals we use daily.
For more information, check out Environmental
Health Perspectives online.
Back to
Green Business News
