The Swimming-Asthma Connection

on September 14, 2009 at 7:02 AM

swimming pools and asthma linked

Half of you are probably done with swimming for the year and are more focused on carving pumpkins and candy corn right now, but here's an interesting tidbit that's still important if you do aquatics year-round or at a gym:

Swimming in outdoor or indoor chlorinated pools can increase the chance you or your kids will have asthma and even allergies.

A Belgium study suggests that while chlorine is effective at killing pathogens in pools, it also irritates the skin, eyes, and upper respiratory tract of swimmers. So those fumes don't just smell bad. They actually cause changes to the upper airways that promote the development of certain allergic diseases.

[Cough, cough.]

Children who swam in chlorinated pools had a higher risk of asthma, as well as other allergic diseases such as hay fever and allergic rhinitis. They compared kids who dipped in in chlorinated pools versus those who swam in pools sanitized with a concentration of copper and silver.

I've been hearing a lot about silver as an natural antibacterial lately. Apparently silver and copper are popular pool disinfectants in Europe, but the recommendation hasn't paddled its way across the pond yet. Chlorine is still the bug-killer of choice in American pools.

Not sure what to think about this one as I get my kids ready for their swim lessons later this afternoon ...

Have you noticed a connection in your family between swimming in pools and bad allergies or asthma?

Related posts:

Chlorine and Pregnancy -- Is It Safe?

Racism at the Swim Club

About the author Cynthia Dermody

is The Stir's Managing Editor who has trophies in her home for her skills at the Irish Jig. She makes cupcakes with as many fattening ingredients as possible, doesn't comb her hair for months at a time, and was probably a faerie in a former life.

Filed Under: illness, in the news, safety

Comments (7)

aurorabunny

on Sep 14, 2009 at 2:10 PM

Well that sucks. My son swims once a week at his school for aquatic therapy. His whole life I have only taken him swimming in a salt water pool because of the chemicals but at school all of that is regulated by the health department so there's not much I can do about it. Pooey. :(

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Noosa

on Sep 14, 2009 at 4:21 PM

WOW I had no idea, my daughter is such a swimmer in the pool as much as she can be. Last year we spent 3 days in the hospital with her for respitory problems. This is only one day so far, I always related it to the weather changing. The doctors did not even ask about swimming. We are not 100% sure if she does have asthma but now we carry inhalers she keeps one at school and we have a nebulizer machine at home for really bad episodes. Thank you so much for this information!

RanaAurora

on Sep 14, 2009 at 4:50 PM

I should be surprised but I'm not. Time to create healthier pools!

rleer4

on Sep 16, 2009 at 7:57 AM

I have asthma and do water exersices at least once a week. The cold water can start a asthma attack for me, so after i get in (slowly), I have to wait 5 or 10 minutes befoe I can start working out hard or i get an attack. I will not give up the pool, because I always feel like I've hada muscle massage afterwards. I do wish public pools used silver or salt to clean instead of colrine.

LokisMama

on Sep 16, 2009 at 9:10 AM

I'd rather swim in a chlorinated pool than in say a lake, where god knows what is going to make you sick. I lost a friend because he went swimming in a lake near his house and picked up some sort of bacteria that once it got into his bloodstream, caused his heart to stop. :( I think I'll take the risk.

Facebook comment from Delaco Yiasmine

on Mar 15, 2011 at 12:17 PM

First of all I want to say that I love to swim. I don't believe that this sport can "give" you asthma or allergies. I don't use for my pool chlorine because I heard that it isn't so good for your health. In small doses it can be useful, cleans the water, but be careful. Your pool ca be very clean. I use <a rel="follow" href="http://www.backyardocean.com/Intex-Filter-Type-B-6-Pack-5x10-p/1102754.htm">pool filter b</a> and it work wonderful.

Nonmember comment from lacey

on Jul 11, 2011 at 6:13 PM

Depending on where you live there is chlorine in the drinking water. Swimming important bad, what about bathing or drinking water. My son has asthma, and it is not from swimming pools. He can swim for hours and the chlorine does not affect him. Now smoke on the other hand does. I think this is a superstition.