As spring gets into full swing, allergies and asthma can become exasperated. While swimming is a therapeutic exercise for people with both conditions, if the pool has high levels of chlorine the benefits of swimming might be negated.
Asthma and DBPs
When chlorine interacts with contaminants in the pool, it creates disinfection byproducts that can be harmful to us. These disinfection byproducts will collect in the pool area, causing that heavy chlorine smell and irritating our eyes, noses and lungs. In a pool with typical chlorine levels, our bodies absorb more chlorine and, more importantly, disinfection byproducts from swimming than from drinking tap water for one week.
Asthma in Children
Because of these DBPs, if your child has allergic sensitivities, swimming in a chlorinated pool only increases the likelihood and severity of asthma and respiratory allergies. The longer the child is exposed to chlorinated water, the more likely their asthma and allergies will be triggered.
Asthma in Adults
Adults and adolescents are also susceptible to increased risk of developing or worsening respiratory allergies from disinfection byproducts. Those who spend more time in pools have it the worst. Swimming instructors and pool workers are more than twice as likely to develop sinusitis or sore throat and more than three times as likely to have chronic colds. Many competitive swimmers, like Olympians Amy VanDyken, Ian Thorpe, Courtney Shealy and Jo Jackson developed worsening asthma throughout the duration of their swimming careers, which negatively affected their training.
If you want to go swimming, but don’t want to increase your chances of asthma, chronic cold, sore throat, coughing or other respiratory allergy symptoms, find a pool without chlorine, bromine or salt water treatments. Clear Comfort’s AOP Technology eliminates or reduces chlorine in pools.
Claire McDaniel
Claire is a swimming and nutrition expert who loves to educate and motivate others to healthier living. She swam competitively for 18 years, is a five time All-American, a Division I National Champion, was co-captain of Team USA at the 2007 World University Games and was named a finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She also has a master’s degree in nutrition and is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. After swimming, Claire started coaching and has coached all over the US and even in Switzerland! Her experience and expertise about both swimming and health fuel her passion for Clear Comfort’s mission – to make swimming a 100 percent healthy activity for swimmers, coaches, lifeguards and pool staff.
