(0:41) Welcome
Welcome back to the Paleo View!
On this week's episode, we will be discussing chlorine and the science behind what the exposure to chlorine does and how to detox
Sarah noted that this is a complex topic that doesn't have straightforward answers
Before we dive in, a big thank you to Joovvfor sponsoring this week's show
While Stacy and Sarah will be sharing more information on Joovv as the show goes on, check them out here: https://joovv.com/paleoview
(3:25) The Downsides & Upsides
It is important to start the discussion of the downsides of chlorination with a discussion of the upsides
Chlorination is used across the globe as the number one way to disinfect pools
It is an amazing killer of microbes
Before chlorination of pools was a normal procedure, really harmful illnesses were transmitted through pools
Recreational Water Illnesses include a wide variety of infections, such as gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, andwoundinfections. The most commonly reported RWI isdiarrhea. Diarrheal illnesses are caused by germs such as Crypto
Chlorination is an amazing tool for making sure that swimming pools are safe from a micro perspective
It does come at a bit of a trade-off though
Because chlorine interacts with organic molecules, there is a variety of by-products that are chlorine based molecules that are formed and are potentially problematic
monochloramines
dichloramines
i Trichloramines
trihalogenometans (THM)
haloacetic acid (HAA)
There are other halogens that have been used to disinfect pools, but they all also cause similar by-products
There is an obvious solution
There is a move to create new filtration systems though
One of the things that happen with these chlorine by-products is that they are evaporating off the surface of the water and they are all oxidants
The mechanism behind a lot of the issues that they cause are all oxidative damage
They are highest in the air just above the surface of the water
There is a move to create air filtration systems in public pools, especially where elite athletes train
A lot of the research stems from studies on elite swimmers
They have typically double the asthma rates of the average population
There is this really interesting give and take that has to do with the chloramine
The amount of chloramine in the air is very different depending on the pool you are swimming in
Most of the science has to do with asthma and other lung issues
Elite athletes, in general, have higher rates of asthma and higher rates of lung infections
We see this in swimmers, cyclists, triathletes, and long-distance runners
Chlorine is not awesome because it is a toxic chemical
These low levels of chlorine exposure that we are getting through chlorinated water, assuming the water is treated correctly, are associated with problems
So is elite training though
Take a moment to recognize that while swimmers have higher rates of asthma, so do a lot of elite athletes
That is because this level of training actually suppresses aspects of the immune system and over activates other systems in the body
Other athletes that don't step foot anywhere near a pool also have higher rates of asthma
But chlorine does seem to be a contributor
This is because of the disruption that is happening to the lung barrier
Barrier tissues are made up of a type of cell called an epithelial cell
These cells have a top and a bottom with different processes happening within both the top and bottom
Our skin, lungs, gut barrier and sinuses are made up of epithelial cells
All of these tissues have the job of protecting the inside of our body from things happenings outside of our body
Lungs and gut are different in the sense that they have to be somewhat permeable
So even low levels of toxin exposure in the air above the surface of the pool can potentially disrupt the lung barrier
There are some interesting studies showing that it's not just that someone with a predisposition to asthma has asthma made worse by breathing in chloramine, but actually, chloramine is contributing to the development of asthma
There are studies showing different sizes of effect
The majority of studies are showing that chlorine compounds do contribute to asthma and allergies later in life
However, this is not uniform data
The magnitude of the effect is very different
So there isn't enough data to hone in on a common understanding
Where the research is with this is still even just clarifying that the effect exists and understanding the mechanisms
The mechanism seems to be the fact that chloramine and these other chlorine by-products are oxidant molecules that cause oxidative damage
They cause damage to the lung barrier
(15:38) Digging Deeper into the Research
What can we do to prevent the negative effects that come with chloramine exposure?
There is no science to look at anything like this
We can infer that nutrients that are important for lung-barrier function are going to be really important for protecting the lung-barrier against the assault that these chloramine compounds are causing
Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Zinc, Vitamin C, Omega-3 fats, and the gut microbiome
All of these nutrients are already baked into a Paleo and AIP diet template
Sarah inclination out of this is to just be mindful of her barrier tissue nutrients
Sarah would also add glycine to the nutrient list even though there is no specific information linking glycine and lungs
However, we know that glycine is important for other barriers because it forms connective tissue and there is a lot of connective tissue in the lungs
So Sarah would make sure she is adding liver into her mix of foods, checking her vitamin D levels and supplementing accordingly, eating a lot of seafood and vegetables, and making sure she is looking after her stress, sleep, etc.
Stacy asked if there is information available on the rate of absorption
Sarah didn't see anything with that particular data
There were two styles of studies that Sarah found through her research
One is done on elite athletes where they are spending hours in the pool every single day and have the highest risk
The other studies that are being done on general or pediatric populations are showing a lot more mixed results
A lot of this has to do with how much time these study participants are spending in the pool
There are some interesting studies where they look at an hour of swimming and looking at mechanisms
Chloramine can be absorbed into the skin
(25:52) Skin Health
Stacy asked if using the dry sauna after swimming is helpful
Detoxification, in general, is really helpful
Joovvis also really good to help with this
We push a lot of toxins out through our skin through sweating
The other major concern with chloramine exposure is called chlorine contact dermatitis, which is a form of eczema
Chlorine disrupts skin barrier (leaky skin = eczema)
When there is a defect in the skin barrier that allows things to cross in that simulates an inflammatory response you get these little patches of inflamed, red, scaly skin
There have been some interesting studies that look at an hour in the pool and how that is changing the skin and how it is working as a barrier
Sarah shared more on the findings from this study
An hour in the pool basically increases the permeability of the skin
In the context of other risk factors for eczemathank you are creating this situation where eczemacan form
That is why you don't see this happen in everyone, as there are gene mutations linked with eczema
Chlorine is basically the barrier disruption that can be that initial event that leads to eczema
The study found that the skin returned to normal within 24-hours
The chlorine by-products are disrupting the skin barrier in a way that is very recoverable
This implies that if we are doing all the other really important skin health things, the impact should be minimal if any at all
Give the skin the nutrients it needs to recover quickly
There is no data specifically linking an increased risk of chlorine contact dermatitis with vitamin D deficiency
Sarah doesn't think it is a huge leap of logic to go from the nutrients that are important for skin barrier health are going to be important for skin barrier health when that barrier is assaulted by chloramine
How to protect your skin against chlorine based eczema
Once you have it, don't treat it with histamine creams
Its an inflammatory reaction so antiinflammatory creams are going to be the best option
If you have a case that needs immediate intervention, go to your doctor
However, if it is a minor reaction, it will likely resolve on its own
Avoid additional exposure and let it heal
If you are someone who regularly gets this skin irritation, you can lube up with vaseline
However, this isn't a route that neither Sarah nor Stacy feel comfortable with and shared more on the 'why'
There are a ton of post-swimming creams that are marketed that have vitamin C in them
Vitamin C is a really important skin nutrient
It is a powerful antioxidant
Using these products will not be harmful, assuming the other ingredients are also good
However, there is zero science on whether or not vitamin C can detoxify chloramine in the skin or reduce chlorine contact dermatitis
The ingredients in beauty products are not regulated so it's challenging for the consumer to know what is good and what is not good
There is no incentive for companies to collaborate with a researcher to test something
Sarah is going to go back that there need to be more regulations on ingredients in personal care products
The science is very compelling behind red and infrared wavelengths and the benefits to human physiology in a variety of situations, including skin health benefits
There are some really good studies showing that red light therapy in the wavelengths that Joovvprovides in the type of dose-response that Joovvprovides can be beneficial for a variety of skin conditions
While we don't have the science to show that Joovvcan help us recover from chlorine specifically we know that it is really good for the skin
It can help reduce inflammation
For Stacy, the health benefits of regular exercise outweigh what it is that might be happening short-term with the chlorine absorption
The benefit of physical exercise is so significant that the minor risk associated with chlorine absorption is outweighed
Sarah began the episode with a clear reminder for this very reason
Lets remember why we put chlorine in pools before we get freaked out over what chlorine may do to a percentage of us
Don't listen to this show and think that you should never swim again because you are worried about the chlorine
Use the knowledge of nutrition and how to arm your skin with the nutrients it needs to recover and stay strong
Enjoy the benefits of activity
Steps to take to mitigate the potential problems associated with chlorine:
The nutritional aspects
Showering right after you swim
Take a look at Joovv
To get a hook up with Joovv, you can check it out here: https://joovv.com/paleoview
Check out this podcast episodeas well for additional information and the science
Stacy shared information on salt-water hot tubs versus chlorine hot tubs
(53:05) Closing Thoughts
Stacy is off to jet set to who knows where next
Don't forget to meet up with Stacy at one of her events, which you can find the details here
There will eventually be a podcast where Stacy will share the details on how they pulled the trip together
This trip was on Matt and Stacy's bucket list and they are so overwhelmed with gratitude that they get to experience a trip like this with their kids
So a huge thank you listeners for your support over the years and for helping to make this happen
Thanks again to Joovvfor sponsoring this podcast
Don't forget to check out Joovv here: https://joovv.com/paleoview
Thank you again for listening! We will be back next week!
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