Chlorine increases Breast Cancer risk!

swimangel72

Sigh.............just another thing to worry about. I'm a swimmer - I've been swimming in indoor chlorinated pools for 30 years. It has been the one exercise that I truly love to do - even in the winter blah days. Recently, I've been avoiding the pool because the chlorine levels at this health club are so high it bothers me. Even on days when the smell doesn't bother me, after just 30 minutes swimming laps, I can't get the chlorine smell off my skin, and worse, my skin gets so dry and itchy, it's unbearable! This got me to thinking.........and I went to good 'old Google and found this article:

http://www.ghchealth.com/chlorine-cancer-and-heart-disease.html

This paragraph is especially sobering:

Breast cancer, which now effects one in every eight women in North America, has recently been linked to the accumulation of chlorine compounds in the breast tissue. A study carried out in Hartford Connecticut, the first of it's kind in North America, found that, "women with breast cancer have 50% to 60% higher levels of organochlorines (chlorination byproducts) in their breast tissue than women without breast cancer."

I'm now convinced that my breast cancer was caused by exposure to chlorine - and not just DDT. I was just on my way to the pool when I found this information. So that's end the of swimming in indoor pools for me..........or at least THIS particular indoor pool (where the ceiling isn't that high and the ventilation isn't great.) Fortunately, we don't have chlorinated water in my house - we have well water. But I will continue to worry about my kids - they grew up using chlorinated town water and swimming at chlorinated pools.........I'll have to do more research.......in the meantime, I'll have to start using the exercise machines - BORING! Sigh - sigh - and more sighs.........

revkat

swimangel -- I hate to see you give up a form of exercise that has made a significant contribution to your quality of life. So here are a few thoughts about the article you cited:

1. It was posted on a site that has a financial investment in convincing people that they are at risk for health problems if they don't purchase the products for sale on the site.

2. The studies it talks about were not formally cited so we can't read them ourselves and draw our own conclusions about them. And there's not enough information to look them up given in the article.

3. I'm not sure how good a model for humans chickens are. They are not a typical lab animal. 

4.Perhaps women with bc do have higher levels of organochlorines in their breasts -- correlation  is not causation. Perhaps the cancer cell produce chemicals that cause this instead of this causing cancer. That 50 -60% is likely to be a relative statistic so if women w/o bc have 1 part per million women with it would be showing 1.5 parts per million. Not a big increase. ( I use these numbers as an example -- it could be much bigger, but the point is the article doesn't give us the info to know.)

5. Swimming is different from drinking and although the article talks about how chlorine could be more easily absorbed through the skin, there isn't any research cited to support that statement.

6.It seems to me that the aerosoliztion taking place in a shower is different from the steam rising off a pool. Steaming is how we distill water, so my guess is that the  chlorine stays put in the water more in a pool than in a shower.

But if you are worried, have you talked to your health club about what they are using to treat the pool? Perhaps they could switch to other disinfectants or perhaps they are using more chemicals than they need to. Is there any other pool in town you could swim in? Perhaps one that uses salt water disinfection? 

I just know that swimming is a huge part of my daughter's physical and mental well being, and I wouldn't tell her to stop based on this article. IMHO the risks involved with stopping are higher than the risk of keeping on swimming.

Katalin

Can you see if you can find a salt-water pool?  I just heard about these a month ago, and found one in my city.  There is still chlorine in the pool from the city-water, but no additional chlorine.  My skin doesn't get overly dry.  I know you can still absorb it in the air, but I think it's a reasonable compromise.  I also used to rinse with a mixture of vinegar and water afterward, which neutralizes the chlorine.  That helped a lot.

Good luck! 

nosurrender

Swimangel,

I am a swimmer too. The breakdown that Revkat gave you was excellent.

I also went to the "source" they quoted and they had the exact opposite report- 

that there is no study or proof that chlorine causes cancer.

Information on Toxic Chemicals                     State of Wisconsin
CHLORINE
Also known as: Chlorine gas, Bertholite, Caswell No. 179
Chemical reference number (CAS):   7782-50-5
WHAT IS CHLORINE?
Chlorine is a poisonous, greenish-yellow gas
described as having a choking odor. It is a very
corrosive, hazardous chemical. Usually
combined with other chemicals, it is used to
disinfect water, purify metals, bleach wood pulp
and make other chemicals.
Household bleach, used to whiten fabrics or
remove mold from surfaces, is a 5% solution of
a stabilized form of chlorine.
Do Not Mix household bleach with acid-
containing or ammonia-containing cleaners.
Dangerous levels of a very harmful gas can be
released.
Most of the chlorine that enters lakes, streams,
or soil evaporates into the air or combines with
other chemicals into more stable compounds.
Chlorine-containing chemicals that seep through
soil down into groundwater can remain
unchanged for many years.
HOW ARE PEOPLE EXPOSED TO
CHLORINE?
Exposures to chlorine gas are usually due to
industrial processes or accidental spills.
Chlorine is added in small amounts to some
municipal water supplies when bacteria
contamination threatens public health. When
chlorine combines with lake or river water, a
class of chemicals that includes chloroform can
be formed. (See chloroform fact sheet)
Breathing:  Most high-level exposure occurs in
workplaces where chlorine is used. People may
inhale chlorine by using chlorine bleach or by
living near an industry that uses chlorine.
The smell from treated drinking water or
swimming pools may be irritating but isn’t
usually harmful.
Drinking/Eating:  Low level exposure can
occur when water containing chlorine is used for
drinking or for food preparation.
Touching:  The body does not absorb chlorine
well. However, small amounts can pass through
the skin when people are exposed to chlorine
gas, chlorine bleach, or bathing in water with
high levels of chlorine. Lower levels of exposure
can occur when people handle soil or water
containing chlorine.
DO STANDARDS EXIST FOR
REGULATING CHLORINE?
Water: The proposed federal drinking water
standard for chlorine is 4 parts per million
(ppm).  Many city water supplies are treated
with chlorine to reduce the possible spread of
bacterial disease. The system operators are
required to maintain a detectable level of
chlorine in the piping system. We suggest you
stop drinking water that contains more than 4
ppm of chlorine on a regular basis.
Air:  No standards exist for the amount of
chlorine allowed in the air of homes.  We use a
formula to convert workplace limits to home
limits. Based on the formula, we recommend
levels be no higher than 0.01 ppm of chlorine in
air. Most people can smell chlorine when levels
reach 0.02-3.4 ppm. If you can smell chlorine in
your home, the level may be too high to be safe.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources regulates the amount of chlorine that
can be released by industries.
WILL EXPOSURE TO CHLORINE
RESULT IN HARMFUL HEALTH
EFFECTS?
Short-term, high-level exposures
Immediately or shortly after exposure to 30 ppm
or more of chlorine gas, a person may have chest
pain, vomiting, coughing, difficulty breathing, or
excess fluid in their lungs.  Exposure to 430 ppm
in air for 30 minutes will cause death.
The health effects of breathing air that has less
than 30 ppm of chlorine are the same as listed
below for inhaling liquid bleach vapors.
Liquid chlorine bleach and its vapors (at levels
of 3-6 ppm in air) are irritating to eyes. At levels
of 15 ppm in air people experience nose and
throat irritation. Touching liquid chlorine bleach
can cause skin irritation. Drinking levels over 4
ppm can cause throat and stomach irritation,
nausea and vomiting.
Long-term, low-level exposure
The following health effects can occur after
several years of exposure to chlorine:
Organ Systems:  The main effects of exposure
to chlorine gas include diseases of the lung and
tooth corrosion. People with previous lung
disease, smokers, and those with breathing
problems are more sensitive to chlorine.
Cancer:  There is no information currently
available about whether chlorine causes cancer.
Reproductive Effects:  No reproductive effects
from chlorine exposure have been reported.
In general, chemicals affect the same organ
systems in all people who are exposed.
A person's reaction depends on several things,
including individual health, heredity, previous
exposure to chemicals including medicines, and
personal habits such as smoking or drinking.
It is also important to consider the length of
exposure to the chemical; the amount of
chemical exposure; and whether the chemical
was inhaled, touched, or eaten.  People with
preexisting lung or heart disease may be
particularly sensitive to the effects of chlorine.
CAN A MEDICAL TEST DETERMINE
EXPOSURE TO CHLORINE?
By testing lung function and examining your
skin and teeth, your doctor can evaluate the
health effects of chlorine exposure.
Seek medical advice if you have any symptoms
that you think may be related to chemical
exposure.
This fact sheet summarizes information about
this chemical and is not a complete listing of all
possible effects. It does not refer to occupational
exposure or emergency situations.
 FOR MORE INFORMATION
• Poison Control Center, 800-222-1222
• Your local public health agency
• Division of Public Health, BEOH, 1 West
Wilson Street, Rm. 150, Madison, WI
53701-2659, (608) 266-1120 or Internet:
 http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/eh
Prepared by the
Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services
Division of Public Health, with funds from the
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry,
Public Health Service,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
(POH 4756   Revised 12/2000)

otter

Swim, I spent about 45 minutes trying to track down that "Hartford" study mentioned in the article you cited, but finally gave up.  Revkat and nosurrender told you what I was going to say anyway.

I did google "Hartford" x "Breast cancer" x "Chlorine", and there were quite a few hits.  Most of them were sites for water-treatment companies that were selling something to remove chlorine from water.  Others were from health or nutrition sites.  There weren't any real "scientific" sites on the list.  One of the sites that quoted the stuff about the Hartford study said it was done in 1992; but other sites said the study was "new" or "recent".

Apparently, this supposed link between chlorine and breast cancer has been debated for quite awhile.  I read a paper this evening that said Greenpeace was involved in the controversy for a time in the mid-1990's, when they were trying to get the EPA to ban the use of certain chemicals.  Then Greenpeace got distracted and moved on to other things.  In any case, the evidence that was being used to support the claim about a link between chlorine and BC was pretty shaky, and has been questioned by conventional scientists.

I think you should listen to revkat and nosurrender, and keep on swimming.  Look at it this way:  I spent the first 20 years of my life living in a house that had a private well with non-chlorinated water.  I've spent the past 10 years also living in a house with a private well where the water is not chlorinated.  So, that's at least 30 of my 55 pre-dx years drinking non-chlorinated water (not counting bottled water).  And, still, I got BC.  I know that doesn't prove there is no link; but it might mean there are enough other risk factors we don't understand, that you can go ahead and get back into that pool.  Quality of life is important, too.

otter 

swimangel72

Thank you all soooo much! Wow - I feel such a sense of relief from your intelligent responses! Revkat you bring up so many excellent points about the article I read........I should have checked the source more thoroughly (as the library media/specialist in our middle school is always advising the students!) Katalin - great idea about the salt-water pools - thanks for suggesting it. Although there aren't any near where I live just now, it's something that I will be looking into AND suggesting to the management at my health club. Nosurrender - thanks for finding the source and posting it...........the information about how chlorine gas can hurt your lungs is important -  because I also read that too much chlorine exposure for young children can increase their risk of asthma. And Otter - thank you for spending all that time looking for that study. I just told my DH what you said about the 30 years of your life drinking non-chlorinated water, and he was in total agreement with you!

Dear sisters - you each have given me so much peace of mind I can't thank you all enough! Yes - the quality of life IS so important! When I wasn't able to swim after my surgery last year, I felt physically and mentally sluggish..........and the thought of returning to the pool was so inspirational to me - it kept me from getting too blue. Swimming is more than just exercise for me - it's the "quiet" time I need in life - it's meditation for me - I feel closer to God in the pool, I feel like his angels are in the water holding me up, helping me to "fly" (that's where the "angel" part of swimangel72 came from. The number 72 is the number of laps that make up a mile.)Earlier today the idea of giving up swimming was so depressing - now I feel a huge weight has lifted off my shoulders! Thank you all again so very very much!

revkat

swimangel, the way you describe swimming is exactly what my daughter says about. She loves the feeling of it just being her and the water and all the worries of the day float away. (I, on the other hand, flop my way breathless across the pool!)

swimangel72

Revkat - I'm proud that you at least TRY to get across the pool! I always encourage people to swim. Learning to breathe properly is the biggest hurdle - and if it's too difficult - try swimming backstroke. Increase your distance a little more each time.........and before you know it, you'll lose that breathless feeling. My DH was like that - then he started swimming every day after work one summer years ago in the town's outdoor pool - and by the end of the summer, he was racing me to the other side! He never liked swimming in the indoor pool (I don't blame him - it never feels as refreshing) - so every summer he has to start all over again - swimming behind me - trying to grab my feet and me kicking hard to get away from him. Lots of fun - and afterwards all the little aches and pains in my back and hips disappear.

I must admit to everyone - right after posting my fears on this thread - I went to the pool anyway. I told my DH - I was going to the pool for the last time to say goodbye. And it was amazing - the air was clearer - the water had less chlorine - and my skin didn't get dried out! No doubt because they had the door open and the heat turned off - it was such a nice day! I felt so invigorated - but so sad - because I truly thought I had to give up swimming forever - until I read all the comments from my sweet sisters here! THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!

nosurrender

((Swim)) I am so much like you. I would be lost without swimming. I love it. And yes it does take me to another place.

GramE

I have to add a story about me and using # 30 sunscreen when I went to the outdoor pool.   Having pale skin, and wanting to avoid skin cancer, I slathered on # 30 sunscreen.   The edge of the pool was painted blue.  I stopped to lean against the edge and rest a while, turned around and did some kicks while "holding" on with my arms.   When I got out of the pool, my arms and back were BLUE from the paint.   The sunscreen took the paint OFF the pool edge and onto my arms and back.So,  I do not worry that much about the chlorine as I do about the sunscreen ingredients... Although that is for outdoor pools, not indoor ones.  

swimangel72

Hugs back at you  Nosurrender - and to you too Nancy!  Swimmers are a breed apart (with or without sunscreen, paint from a pool and chlorine-saturated skin!) Sometimes I think I was a dolphin in another life (not that I believe in reincarnation)........I've spent so many hours of my life in pools, lakes and the ocean!

Amazing_Grace

I have very small breasts and so can detect lumps easily. I had no breast lumps living in the country my first 40 years.

Then I moved to a city in WI and swimming in the YMCA pool regularly. I gradually developed maybe 20 lumps, some of which had to be aspirated. I was checked every six months. My husband and I drank filtered water, so we assumed it was not the water causing the problem. We were wrong.

When we moved to a small city in Alaska, most of the lumps quickly disappeared! I was overjoyed and mystified.

Then we moved to Dalton Gardens ID and the lumps completely disappeared within a month. We were totally clueless as to why, until I learned there is (was) no chlorine needed or added to the water. Then I remembered something I had heard about the fumes, especially while showering, causing health problems. Now I understood. The water in the WI city was very chlorinated. The Alaska city used some chlorine. And Dalton Gardens used none.

Well, we prepared to move again, to a city in Washington State. I was worried the lumps would return. My husband ordered a shower filter. We moved. The lumps returned within two weeks. The shower filter arrived in the mail. The lumps disappeared within days. We had no more doubt at all.

I wrote to 10 top cancer researchers with my story and received no reply.

There is one more chapter to this story. After six months using the shower filter in the Washington city, I was dismayed to find two lumps appear. ! I told my husband and he said, "Oh yea, I was supposed to change the filter after six months." He changed the filter; the lumps went away. in days

Now we have moved to the country...well water. No more lumps ever.

PS I love to swim and am blessed with a salt water pool near us!!!