This is What Chlorine in Your Tap Water is Doing to Your Body
Chlorine weapons are a staple of chemical warfare. But what about chlorine in your tap water? What is it doing to your body? Let’s take a closer look.
To kill germs, bacteria, and other waterborne pathogens in raw water, water municipalities add a minuscule amount of disinfectant — typically chlorine or chloramine — to tap water. This practice began in 1905 when scientists in England first used chlorine as a disinfectant to control the spread of typhoid fever and other diseases.
This initiative was so successful that it contributed to a 50% increase in life expectancy in developed countries since its inception. For over a hundred years now, this method of disinfecting water has remained largely unchanged.
Today, over 98 percent of water suppliers in the United States use chlorine to disinfect water supplied to homes and the public. There is no doubting water chlorination’s positive impact on the overall health of the the public.
With the current maximum level of chlorine allowed in tap water set at four milligrams per liter of water, The Environmental Protection Agency says there are no known risks or side effects at this concentration.
However, a number of credible publications report a possible link between prolonged chlorine exposure and several damaging side effects on organs. In this article, we discuss some of these effects.
While some scientists believe chlorine exposure may affect a whole range of organs, this article focuses on three: lungs, skin, and eyes. We also offer tips on how you can try to minimize these effects.
“In humans, the threshold concentration for detection of the odor of chlorine gas ranges from 0.1–0.3 ppm. At 1–3 ppm, there is mild mucus membrane irritation that can usually be tolerated for about an hour. At 5–15 ppm, there is moderate mucus membrane irritation. At 30 ppm and beyond, there is immediate substernal chest pain, shortness of breath, and cough. At approximately 40–60 ppm, a toxic pneumonitis and/or acute pulmonary edema can develop.”
-Chlorine Gas Inhalation, Human Clinical Evidence of Toxicity and Experience in Animal Models
Chlorine and lungs
Chlorine gas is water-soluble and has a very low boiling point. Under moderate temperature, chlorine and chloramine (chlorine with ammonia) easily transform from a liquid to gas state.
When taking hot showers or being around large exposed bodies of chlorinated water — such as swimming pools — a small amount of chlorine evaporates into the surrounding air, exposing your lungs to an elevated level of chlorine gas.
When chlorine gas is inhaled and comes into contact with the airway fluid in your lungs, it forms hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid, which can cause injury to the epithelial lining of the lungs.
Studies have shown those who spend a significant time around chlorinated water such as lifeguards and water park workers face an increased risk of upper respiratory tract irritation. Sometimes the effects of exposure are more severe than simple irritation.
Studies have found that “repeated exposure to chlorine in the pool has been postulated to be a significant risk factor for an excess of asthma among swimmers.” You can reduce chlorine exposure by choosing to attend swimming pools less frequently.
However, avoiding the evaporated chlorine that you inhale while taking a shower is a different story. For the latter, a high-quality water filter capable of removing chlorine is necessary.
Chlorine and Skin
Chlorinated water strips your body of oils that help keep your skin moisturized. Additionally, chlorine also reduces the water holding capacity of the outermost layer of skin, the stratum corneum.
For these two reasons combined, exposure to residual chlorine in bath water or swimming pools can result in dry, itchy skin and exacerbate the symptoms of certain skin diseases like eczema.
Chlorine also rids your skin of vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids, resulting in worsening acne and rashes. Chlorine not only affects your skin from the outside, drinking tap water with chlorine can also affect how your skin looks and feels.
This is because chlorine is an extremely powerful oxidizing agent. Think of oxidation as what causes rust. When oxidizing agents are introduced to the body, cells go through oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused when molecules called free radicals damage cell structures and, ultimately, contribute to premature aging.
You can counteract these damaging effects by consuming foods or herbs high in anti-oxidants which neutralize free radicals. Another way you could fight the effects of residual chlorine is to apply moisturizer after taking a shower and by using soaps with ingredients specially formulated to neutralize chlorine.
However, these types of soaps and moisturizers can be pricey and do not fully ameliorate the effects of chlorine. The only way to effectively protect your skin from chlorine is to eliminate it from the water you use.
Chlorine and Eyes
After spending some time swimming in chlorinated water, most people will notice their eyes are red and irritated — the reason for this is a bit more complicated than you think.
When your eyes are exposed to chlorinated water, the corneal epithelial barrier that acts like a protective shield for your cornea is eroded away leaving your eyes unprotected against bacteria and germs in the pool.
In this state, your eyes are much more susceptible to infection which is the primary cause of redness and irritation. The problem is compounded further by disinfection byproducts (DBP) created when chlorine mixes with organic compounds in the pool water.
DBPs are strong irritants and are thought to be a reason why eyes and skin get itchy after spending a long time in the pool. The most obvious way to protect your eyes is to wear goggles whenever you are swimming.
But wearing goggles when you wash your face in the morning or take a shower is impractical and just plain silly! It would be much more convenient to just remove chlorine from your water so that it is no longer an issue.
Chlorinated water and cancer
So far, the effects of chlorine exposure on the body described sound somewhat mild but this next one is pretty serious. Published studies have shown an association between water chlorination and certain forms of cancer. Yes, cancer! Though scientists have not identified a cause-effect link, nevertheless, an association between chlorinated water and specific forms of cancer has been established.
In order to understand this association, it is important to know about trihalomethanes. Trihalomethanes are produced when chlorine reacts with organic compounds in water or inorganic materials such as iron or bromide. These reactants are commonly found in municipal water supplies and swimming pools.
The risk of developing cancer increases as frequency of exposure and levels of trihalomethanes in the water increases. Exposure to trihalomethanes occurs mainly through drinking tap water, swimming in chlorinated water, or inhaling vapor from chlorinated water. It’s easy to see how one can be exposed daily.
Furthermore, calcium and magnesium — very commonly found in tap water — exacerbate this carcinogenic effect. Whole house water filtration systems reduce the presence of both these hard water minerals as well as chlorine.
This reduces exposure to trihalomethanes at home and thereby — based on the findings of the above-mentioned studies — also reduces the risk of developing certain forms of cancer.
It’s important to note that even though these studies exist, the EPA has not classified chlorine for potential carcinogenicity.
How to reduce your exposure to chlorine
A whole house filter can take chlorine and chloramine completely out of the equation and improve respiratory health and give you healthier hair, skin, and eyes.
Water treated by a Nuvia filtration and softening system will make your skin feel completely rejuvenated after taking a shower and leave your body feeling completely refreshed after drinking.
Not only do they remove chlorine and all disinfection byproducts from your water, they also remove fluoride, arsenic, lead and other potentially unsafe contaminants from your water supply.
Nuvia is known for premium grade filters, state-of-the art technologies, extensive testing and quality control methods that exceed industry standards. Their products have earned them a Gold Seal of Approval from the Water Quality Association.
Additionally, Nuvia stands by their products and backs them with the most comprehensive warranty in the industry!
Call today to schedule a free water test and receive a complimentary $25 gift card to a restaurant or retailer of your choice!
(Sources incorporated into article)
