(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 detoxSarah noted that this is a complex topic that doesn't have straightforward answersBefore we dive in, a big thank you to Joovvfor sponsoring this week's showWhile 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 upsidesChlorination is used across the globe as the number one way to disinfect poolsIt is an amazing killer of microbesBefore chlorination of pools was a normal procedure, really harmful illnesses were transmitted through poolsRecreational 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 CryptoChlorination is an amazing tool for making sure that swimming pools are safe from a micro perspectiveIt does come at a bit of a trade-off thoughBecause chlorine interacts with organic molecules, there is a variety of by-products that are chlorine based molecules that are formed and are potentially problematicmonochloraminesdichloraminesi Trichloraminestrihalogenometans (THM)haloacetic acid (HAA)There are other halogens that have been used to disinfect pools, but they all also cause similar by-productsThere is an obvious solutionThere is a move to create new filtration systems thoughOne 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 oxidantsThe mechanism behind a lot of the issues that they cause are all oxidative damageThey are highest in the air just above the surface of the waterThere is a move to create air filtration systems in public pools, especially where elite athletes trainA lot of the research stems from studies on elite swimmersThey have typically double the asthma rates of the average populationThere is this really interesting give and take that has to do with the chloramineThe amount of chloramine in the air is very different depending on the pool you are swimming inMost of the science has to do with asthma and other lung issuesElite athletes, in general, have higher rates of asthma and higher rates of lung infectionsWe see this in swimmers, cyclists, triathletes, and long-distance runnersChlorine is not awesome because it is a toxic chemicalThese low levels of chlorine exposure that we are getting through chlorinated water, assuming the water is treated correctly, are associated with problemsSo is elite training thoughTake a moment to recognize that while swimmers have higher rates of asthma, so do a lot of elite athletesThat is because this level of training actually suppresses aspects of the immune system and over activates other systems in the bodyOther athletes that don't step foot anywhere near a pool also have higher rates of asthmaBut chlorine does seem to be a contributorThis is because of the disruption that is happening to the lung barrierBarrier tissues are made up of a type of cell called an epithelial cellThese cells have a top and a bottom with different processes happening within both the top and bottomOur skin, lungs, gut barrier and sinuses are made up of epithelial cellsAll of these tissues have the job of protecting the inside of our body from things happenings outside of our bodyLungs and gut are different in the sense that they have to be somewhat permeableSo even low levels of toxin exposure in the air above the surface of the pool can potentially disrupt the lung barrierThere 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 asthmaThere are studies showing different sizes of effectThe majority of studies are showing that chlorine compounds do contribute to asthma and allergies later in lifeHowever, this is not uniform dataThe magnitude of the effect is very differentSo there isn't enough data to hone in on a common understandingWhere the research is with this is still even just clarifying that the effect exists and understanding the mechanismsThe mechanism seems to be the fact that chloramine and these other chlorine by-products are oxidant molecules that cause oxidative damageThey 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 thisWe 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 causingVitamin A, Vitamin D, Zinc, Vitamin C, Omega-3 fats, and the gut microbiomeAll of these nutrients are already baked into a Paleo and AIP diet templateSarah inclination out of this is to just be mindful of her barrier tissue nutrientsSarah would also add glycine to the nutrient list even though there is no specific information linking glycine and lungsHowever, we know that glycine is important for other barriers because it forms connective tissue and there is a lot of connective tissue in the lungsSo 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 absorptionSarah didn't see anything with that particular dataThere were two styles of studies that Sarah found through her researchOne is done on elite athletes where they are spending hours in the pool every single day and have the highest riskThe other studies that are being done on general or pediatric populations are showing a lot more mixed resultsA lot of this has to do with how much time these study participants are spending in the poolThere are some interesting studies where they look at an hour of swimming and looking at mechanismsChloramine can be absorbed into the skin(25:52) Skin Health
Stacy asked if using the dry sauna after swimming is helpfulDetoxification, in general, is really helpfulJoovvis also really good to help with this
We push a lot of toxins out through our skin through sweatingThe other major concern with chloramine exposure is called chlorine contact dermatitis, which is a form of eczemaChlorine 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 skinThere 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 barrierSarah shared more on the findings from this studyAn hour in the pool basically increases the permeability of the skinIn the context of other risk factors for eczemathank you are creating this situation where eczemacan formThat is why you don't see this happen in everyone, as there are gene mutations linked with eczemaChlorine is basically the barrier disruption that can be that initial event that leads to eczemaThe study found that the skin returned to normal within 24-hoursThe chlorine by-products are disrupting the skin barrier in a way that is very recoverableThis implies that if we are doing all the other really important skin health things, the impact should be minimal if any at allGive the skin the nutrients it needs to recover quicklyThere 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 chloramineHow to protect your skin against chlorine based eczemaOnce you have it, don't treat it with histamine creamsIts an inflammatory reaction so antiinflammatory creams are going to be the best optionIf you have a case that needs immediate intervention, go to your doctorHowever, if it is a minor reaction, it will likely resolve on its ownAvoid additional exposure and let it healIf you are someone who regularly gets this skin irritation, you can lube up with vaselineHowever, 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 themVitamin C is a really important skin nutrientIt is a powerful antioxidantUsing these products will not be harmful, assuming the other ingredients are also goodHowever, there is zero science on whether or not vitamin C can detoxify chloramine in the skin or reduce chlorine contact dermatitisThe ingredients in beauty products are not regulated so it's challenging for the consumer to know what is good and what is not goodThere is no incentive for companies to collaborate with a researcher to test somethingSarah is going to go back that there need to be more regulations on ingredients in personal care productsThe science is very compelling behind red and infrared wavelengths and the benefits to human physiology in a variety of situations, including skin health benefitsThere 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 conditionsWhile 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 skinIt can help reduce inflammationFor Stacy, the health benefits of regular exercise outweigh what it is that might be happening short-term with the chlorine absorptionThe benefit of physical exercise is so significant that the minor risk associated with chlorine absorption is outweighedSarah began the episode with a clear reminder for this very reasonLets remember why we put chlorine in pools before we get freaked out over what chlorine may do to a percentage of usDon't listen to this show and think that you should never swim again because you are worried about the chlorineUse the knowledge of nutrition and how to arm your skin with the nutrients it needs to recover and stay strongEnjoy the benefits of activitySteps to take to mitigate the potential problems associated with chlorine:The nutritional aspectsShowering right after you swimTake a look at JoovvTo get a hook up with Joovv, you can check it out here: https://joovv.com/paleoviewCheck out this podcast episodeas well for additional information and the scienceStacy 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 nextDon't forget to meet up with Stacy at one of her events, which you can find the details hereThere will eventually be a podcast where Stacy will share the details on how they pulled the trip togetherThis 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 kidsSo a huge thank you listeners for your support over the years and for helping to make this happenThanks again to Joovvfor sponsoring this podcastDon't forget to check out Joovv here: https://joovv.com/paleoviewThank you again for listening! We will be back next week!
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