It makes intuitive sense that drinking chlorinated water can create imbalances in your intestinal flora. We know we chlorinate our municipal water supplies in order to disinfect the water and kill off microbial growth. We even know that drinking chlorinated water alters the balance of gut bacteria in rats. It makes sense that chlorine will kill many of the good bacteria and microbes that live symbiotically with us in our gut. These good bacteria help us digest our food, keeping us serene and healthy. But most of us fail to take this thought to it’s logical end. I know I did.
You see, I thought that if I just drank filtered water, I’d have my bases covered. It never even occurred to me that the chlorine in my shower and bath water could be just as damaging, if not more so. That’s because your skin is your largest organ, and it’s naturally gifted with the ability to absorb both nutrients and toxins.
Chlorine from drinking water can enter your body in several ways, including ingestion. You also inhale chloroform, a byproduct of chlorine, when you take a hot shower or bath. According to an article from Science News, researchers found increases in chloroform in study participants’ lungs of about 2.7ppb after a 10-minute shower. Warm water also further opens pores, so the combination of what your skin absorbs and your lungs inhale during a 10-minute shower is greater than the amount you would ingest drinking eight glasses of water from the same tap. In fact, studies at the University of Pittsburgh found less chemical exposure from ingesting chlorinated water than from showering or washing clothes in it. The study found that, on average, absorption through the skin was responsible for 64 percent of waterborne contaminants that enter the human body.
(source)
Even the EPA’s own scientists agree:
There is a lot of well founded concern about chlorine. When chlorine is added to our water, it combines with other natural compounds to form Trihalomethanes (chlorination byproducts), or THMs. These chlorine byproducts trigger the production of free radicals in the body, causing cell damage, and are highly carcinogenic. “Although concentrations of these carcinogens (THMs) are low, it is precisely these low levels that cancer scientists believe are responsible for the majority of human cancers in the United States“. The Environmental Defense Fund
Simply stated chlorine is a pesticide, as defined by the U.S. EPA, who’s sole purpose is to kill living organisms. When we consume water containing chlorine, it kills some part of us, destroying cells and tissue inside our body. Dr. Robert Carlson, a highly respected University of Minnesota researcher who’s work is sponsored by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency, sums it up by claiming , “the chlorine problem is similar to that of air pollution”, and adds that “chlorine is the greatest crippler and killer of modern times!”
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.”
One of the most shocking components to all of these studies is that up to 2/3s of our harmful exposure to chlorine is due to inhalation of steam and skin absorption while showering. A warm shower opens up the pores of the skin and allows for accelerated absorption of chlorine and other chemicals in water. The steam we inhale while showering can contain up to 50 times the level of chemicals than tap water due to the fact that chlorine and most other contaminants vaporize much faster and at a lower temperature than water. Inhalation is a much more harmful means of exposure since the chlorine gas (chloroform) we inhale goes directly into our blood stream. When we drink contaminated water the toxins are partially filtered out by our kidneys and digestive system. Chlorine vapors are known to be a strong irritant to the sensitive tissue and bronchial passages inside our lungs, it was used as a chemical weapon in World War II. The inhalation of chlorine is a suspected cause of asthma and bronchitis, especially in children… which has increased 300% in the last two decades. “Showering is suspected as the primary cause of elevated levels of chloroform in nearly every home because of chlorine in the water.” Dr Lance Wallace, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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My Story
A while back when I first started learning about how much more efficient we are at absorbing oils, fat-soluble vitamins, minerals and toxins through our skin than we are at absorbing them through ingestion, I made a promise to myself. I wouldn’t put anything on my skin that I wouldn’t eat.
As the implications of that promise have unfolded, I’ve since become someone who doesn’t use deodorant or perfumes, doesn’t wear makeup, and doesn’t use inedible soaps. While that description may make some people imagine a barefoot hippie who smells like patchouli or lavender oil, I promise I fit in fine with my fellow suburban moms.
And yet….
I never considered the water I was bathing in a health hazard.
For some reason, my brain refused to put two and two together and get four. Only yesterday, when I was talking with Kathy (co-owner of Radiant Life with her husband Norm) did it all click into place.
1. Our skin absorbs many toxins, including chlorine.
2. When we shower, our body absorbs more chlorine through the skin than it does when ingesting it.
3. Chlorine kills beneficial bacteria in your gut.
4. When we shower in chlorinated water, we are killing off the beneficial bacteria in our gut!
Before talking with her, I commonly asked others “If I wouldn’t eat it, why would I put it on my skin?” Now, I’ve added another question to the list, “If I wouldn’t drink it, why would I bathe in it?”
You see, Kathy shared an anecdote that I had to try out for myself. She said, “Listen, if you don’t believe that your skin not only absorbs the things you come in contact with but that these can also enter your digestive system, just try this little experiment. Place a mashed garlic clove in your shoe and see how long it takes for you to taste it.”
It took less than ten minutes.
Yep. That’s definitely garlic I’m tasting.
Tell me. How is this possible?
Until recently, scientists thought of the skin as being a total barrier. Now, thanks to the research leading to the application of transdermal patches for administering therapeutic drugs, we know that the skins permeability has to do with molecular weight.
Scientists have graded the Hydrogen atom as 1 for molecular weight and have discovered that any molecule below 3000 can enter the skin, below 750 can enter the skin cell, and below 150 can enter into the bloodstream. This discovery is being used increasingly with the introduction of transdermal patches like Nicotine, HRT and pain relief. They are popular because entry through the skin bypasses the stomach where many drugs can be altered by the stomach acid.
(source)
In other words, anything that has a low enough molecular weight can be absorbed by the skin. Anything with a molecular weight below 150 can enter directly into your bloodstream from the skin!
Guess what the molecular weight of chlorine is?
35.4
No wonder that study at the University of Pittsburgh found that you are more at risk from showering in chlorinated water than you are from drinking it.
So, what can you do about it?
The most obvious solution is to filter the chlorine out of your water. You can spend a lot on a whole house filter that will do this and remove the chlorine from your drinking water, your laundry water, and your bath water. Or, you can opt for a quick fix, particularly if you’re already drinking filtered water.
Thankfully, they’ve invented relatively inexpensive de-chlorinating filters that fit on your shower heads or can hang under your faucet while you’re running bath water.
For showers, I recommend the Rainshow’r Shower Filter ($45). It’s simple to install and it uses “the most potent KDF filter material on the market, which changes chlorine into a harmless, biodegradable compound. This is also the only filter to include Crystalline Quartz technology, in which specially-cured crystals act upon the water to create a softer, more energized shower feeling, as well as improved lathering and sudsing.” I just bought mine from Radiant Life today, and I’ll let you all know if it lives up to its reputation.
(where to find dechlorinating shower head filters)
For baths, I’m buying this Crystal Bath Ball Dechlorinator ($42). It hangs under your faucet and dechlorinates the water as it passes through.
This is particularly important for infants and young children! I spend so much time and energy making sure my little ones are building up a healthy colony of intestinal flora — feeding them yogurt, sauerkraut, raw milk, and a host of other probiotic, living foods. Why would I toss all that down the drain by letting them bathe in chlorinated water?
(where to find dechlorinating bath filters)
Where to Buy Dechlorinating Shower Head and Bath Filters
If you want to buy dechlorinating filters — either for your whole house, your drinking water, or just for your bath water — check out the listings here.
(photo by MosayMay on Shutterstock)
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While I am glad these ad hoc solutions are coming along for us apartment dwellers, where does that leave me with respect to laundry room laundry? It’s already not my favorite thing, but not a lot of alternatives out there.
Laundry is not such a big deal, because while chlorine is very dangerous, it is also very volatile. Meaning it evaporates at a very low temperature (much lower than water.) The best thing to do with laundry is to simply expose it to the sun, although the high heat of the dryer will take care of most of the chlorine anyway. If you need water for something, and can’t filter it, the easiest way to get rid of chlorine is to just set the open container of water out where the sun can get to it for a few hours, or just boil it.
That won’t get rid of fluoride though. And fluoride WILL get into your skin through clothes, and direct water contact. Filters that take out fluoride are VERY expensive, and really bulky. For most of us living on a tight budget or in rented spaces, fluoride is just a fact of life, unless you can get your city to stop adding it to the water.
If I were swimming in a chlorinated pool, I would take lugols iodine 2% 3-4 drops in a glass of water with one tsp apple cider vinegar. This will at least not allow all the chlorine to affect thyroid function as much…. 5% lugols would be 2 drops….
Actually there are laundry balls out there, cannot remember the brand name but the one I have is good for 365 washes and it is supposed to neutralize the chlorine in the wash. It works better than I expected for actually washing your clothes and reduces the need for any laundry detergent and also no need for a dryer sheet with it. Actually just looked it up and Smart Klean is the brand I have. Highly reccomend it.
I guess this means no swimming in swimming pools too?
Right. We’re lucky to have a couple spring fed pools in the Austin area, and right here in Georgetown is a great swimming hole in the South Fork San Gabriel River. So, we don’t usually swim in chlorinated pools.
Regarding swimming pools… just an fyi… the chlorine in pools is much, much higher than what you shower with or drink. Typically, your municipal water should be about 0.5ppm coming out of the faucet. You will typically see 4ppm plus in pools; 8 times as much, or higher.
So this is fairly bad news for those of us who swim laps in public pools every day? Any way to minimize or mitigate these harmful effects outside of the home?
If I had to swim in chlorinated water every day, I’d definitely make sure I was taking therapeutic grade probiotics (like the ones listed here) and not just counting on getting enough good bacteria from my food.
Thanks, I am ordering one of those shower filters right now. I always shower every other day as it is (or sometimes longer) because my scalp and skin are so dry. I know this will really help me. Plus I am taking probiotics and trying to restore my gut flora and I don’t want this to slow me down. Thanks again!
You’re welcome!
Yeah I was thinking about the pools as well. I have a pool but hardly go in it because there is no heater. But, my natural Doctor already told me that the pools could cause harm to me. I guess this just means more trips to the beach, or to the lake in the summer time.
Some gyms have warmed, salt water pools in them. Maybe look into your area fitness clubs and see what’s available?
Oh, duh. We’ve had a shower filter for several years now but the issue of bathing never crossed my mind. Luckily I don’t take baths all that often. But I guess I need to pick up a filter for those rare soaks.
I had a similar moment yesterday when I was on the phone with Kathy from Radiant Life. I couldn’t believe that I’d been drinking filtered tap water, but hadn’t even considered showering and bathing.
If your shower is filtered (assuming your bath/shower are connected), just fill your tub via the showerhead.
I had never thought about this before… Thanks for sharing!
I have known about this for awhile but continue to forget to take action. Thanks for the reminder! Great article and great blog, one of my favorites! I think I will be investing my take refund money into a filter… Also may just get one for the shower and use the shower water to fill up the bath tub.
i had no idea there were the filters so you can run bath water! we had a shower filter (it just broke & we need to replace it!), but i’ve not really allowed/encouraged my kids to bathe because i didn’t have a filter for that part. thank you so much, my kids are going to be so excited!
also, what type of filter actually takes the chlorine out? i have a brita or something, but it says right on it that it only takes out the flavor, not the chlorine itself… i’d love to get one that does more than make it palatable! 🙂
Keep me posted on the effectiveness of the filters. I live in the UK and we have chlorinated water everywhere. No fluoride in our supply thankfully. I am also hoping to have a borehole drilled soon (finance permitting) so I can get off the mains supply and I will be fitting a rainwater starage tank system for the laundry and washing. That way I can save water and reduce chemical contact. Rainwater is saofter anyway. 🙂
We love to soak in a hot tub of water which unfortunatly(sp) is full of chlorine and flouride. My youngest is autistic, would the filters help her. Our skin stays dry and itchy. We use coconut oil as lotion. Wish I could afford the cod liver oil, pre and probiotics and filters but I have to decide which is more beneficial right now until I have more money.
When I took my 13 month old daughter for swim lessons they warned me not to let her get water in her mouth more than two times. Apparently some children have had seizures as a result of swallowing the heavily chlorinated water.
That’s awful! I had no idea.
Hope this is a helpful — unless you like to add more hot water once you’re already IN the tub, couldn’t you just fill the tub by turning on the shower???
Just thinking frugally….
Yes, I know some people who like to do that! It’s not a bad idea at all.
The advantage of the dechlorinating ball is that it’s portable, too. So, it can be used on a sink faucet to dechlorinate the water you use to wash your face or brush your teeth, too.
Great post, Kristen. I used a Brita filter for drinking, and a showerhead filter and bath ball for showering/bathing for years, and even had a “garden gro” (something like that) filter for my hose spigot to keep from dowsing my plants with chlorine, but didn’t have a solution for the laundry.
Almost a year ago I took advantage of a sale Radiant Life was having and got one of their whole house water filters that takes out chlorine, chloramines, and a lot of other heavy metals and junk. I noticed the difference immediately and it’s awesome! Showering, bathing, laundering, gardening, cleaning, cooking, and drinking–all with water filtered well beyond what my Brita pitcher was capable of. I really notice the difference in my drinking water–tap water at most restaurants tastes terrible now!
And this is the reason I lose my mind when my husband wants to put sunblock on our kids!
Kristen – I may have missed something. Did you say that our bodies absorb fats better when put on our skin? Thanks!
Not exactly, just that our skin is efficient at absorbing fat (usually 60-75% of what you apply gets absorbed and used). That’s why it’s a good idea to apply fermented cod liver oil topically to your child (or yourself) if you can’t take it.
But our skin is often more efficient at absorbing the things that travel with fat — like fat soluble vitamins and accompanying minerals — when applied to our skin rather than ingested orally. The theory is that this has to do with how we used to work more closely with dirt and bathe in natural, mineral rich waters. We are designed to get our minerals topically, and also to ingest them in our food. That’s why some minerals are best applied topically as oils — like magnesium oil. The oil helps it linger on our skin and get absorbed into skin cells, while the mineral gets absorbed through there into the bloodstream.
So do you think if you’re allergic to ghee but topically it doesn’t bother you you’d receive the benefits of the k2 and other vitamins?
Yes! I do think that.
Thank you!
This is so fascinating – thanks for sharing, Kristen! I spent a couple of hours a few weeks ago comparing filters (kitchen sink filters for drinking, shower filters for showering and whole house filters) until I got too confused and gave up, putting the whole project off to another day. This other day hadn’t come until today when I got your post in my email. So first, thanks for the reminder about how important this is to figure out. For drinking water, I had purchased the PUR water filter from Costco in a jiffy, but didn’t open it yet because I wanted to do my research first and only invest in the best one. Since you drink filtered water, do you mind sharing which brand of filter do you use? I’ll definitely try out this Rainshow’r Shower Filter for the shower. How about bath sink filters (for washing face and brushing teeth) – is there such a thing, or am I going overboard? Thanks again for all your informative posts, and I’m looking forward to your feedback 🙂 All the best, Heba
If you really want a bath sink filter, I don’t see why the ball that fits under bath faucets wouldn’t also work on a sink faucet. That said, the folks I know who take care not to brush in chlorinated water either have whole house filters or use their filtered kitchen sink water.
Thanks for the response! I’ll go with the shower filter for now and then see if I want to invest in something else.
Just a note to make sure to find out whether your water is chlorinated or chloraminated. The later has a much longer half life and from what I know much harder to filter out.
Hi KristenM,
What do people do about the flouride in the water too?
Buy different, better filters. It gets more expensive, but it’s the same idea with the same options. There are drinking water filters, shower head filters, and whole house filters that remove fluoride. Thankfully, a number of municipalities are starting to remove or reduce fluoride from their water supply. I think we’re starting to see the pendulum swing back on that front.
KristenM
Hi Kristen
This was a fascinating article. I hadn’t ever considered the effects of bathwater toxins: BPA from plastic pipes, mercury from the reservoir water, etc. I don’t know if the ppb increase is significant, but it is suggestive of something worrisome.
I do have a couple follow up questions.
Do you have any sources for the greater effects of elevated blood chlorine than ingested chlorine on gut flora? I don’t see the connection biologically because the systems are kept separate.
Also, the two filters you provided turn the chlorine in to “a harmless, biodegradable compound.” Do you know what compound?
The chlorine in the water was already “biodegradable,” thus the problematic interactions with our biologies, so which compound makes a difference.
Thank you for citing your sources!
-T
Yuck. This makes me all the more grateful that we have always gotten our water from our mountain springs.
Wow. Very insightful post. I am trying to rebuild my flora from too many antibiotics (severe leaky gut) and would bet the chlorine is working against me! Also reading the comment about how children ingesting chlorine while swimming can cause seizures – very scary! How is it good for anyone and why do we still use it at all?
Can anyone tell me how long the Rainwat’r shower filters last? I’m also interested on how to combat flouride. I live in Los Angeles and know its in our water supply. I plan to call the city and local congressmans office to speak my concerns and encourage everyone to do the same.
Been a competitive swimmer since I was 6. Im 42 now and still train here and there.
I have been convinced for years that the chlorinated pool water was the underlying cause of my gut dysbiosis and years of related troubles. Its taken me 4 years after figuring it out to get my digestive system working properly again. I limit my chlorine exposure, eat paleo, use probiotics, get sleep, exercise and vitamin D and it has still taken this long to get well.
Would love see a study on chlorine exposure from pool water on gut bacteria.
Thaks
Okay, I saw my laundry question addressed already, but what about dishes? I ordered the shower filter, and have been drinking filtered water for years, but I wonder now about the chlorine on dishes. Should I be concerned?
I think the same idea applies. If you let water sit for at least an hour, the chlorine evaporates. So, if you just let your dishwasher do it’s work and then let the dishes air dry, your dishes probably won’t have any residual chlorine on them. That said, if the quote above is accurate, the heated water used during the washing cycle is probably exposing your home to chloroform. I personally don’t worry about it. There is only so much one can do, right? Of course, how much you’re willing to tolerate in your life is entirely personal.
If you hand wash dishes, you can buy dechlorinating drops (either from Radiant Life or a pet store’s aquarium section) that will immediately dechlorinate your water while it’s hot so that you can wash your dishes in it.
Thanks! No dishwasher here… we hand wash. Will look into the drops.
I did not realize how bad the chlorine was in city water until I lived with well water for a couple of years. When we bought a house in the city we felt like we were being gassed everytime we took a shower, and I guess we kind of were. I can’t believe we ever thought that was normal. We were able to get the Rainsoft while house system with the additional reverse osmosis under sink filter for the drinking water. It made such a difference.
Here are some answers from Norm at Radiant Life. Hope it helps!
ABOUT FILTERING CHLORAMINES:
Both the shower head filter and bath ball are highly effective in addressing chlorine and microorganisms but not chloramines. Chloramines can be removed at the point of entry into the home with a whole house filter containing the right type of specialized carbon. Please see the following link to our whole house systems that remove chloramines, chlorine and a host of other contaminants.
http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/WHOLE-HOUSE-FILTRATION/
ABOUT WHICH COMPOUNDS THE CHLORINE TURNS INTO USING THE FILTERS I RECOMMENDED:
Both the shower head filter and bath ball utilize KDF-55 media that consists of finely granulated copper and zinc alloys. The combination of these two alloys in the media allows a chemical reaction to take place when water passes through the media. In the KDF process, electrons are taken from harmful contaminants like chlorine and microorganisms. This loss of electrons changes contaminants into far less harmful, or even harmless, elements. For example, chlorine, when it loses an electron is changed into the harmless, naturally occurring water-soluble chemical chloride.
Hmmm… Thank you for posting this.
These answers weren’t nearly a reassuring as I was hoping.
Chloroform is itself fairly benign in a biologic system and dissipates rapidly, unlike chloramines, but less is better. Unfortunately, according to KDFFT.com (manufacturer of the filter material) the reaction they speak of is: Cu/Zn + HOCl –> Zn++ Cu- Cl- HO-. So rather than showering in chlorine, you are now showering in chlorine, zinc, and copper.
Also, I’m worried about the claim that it takes electrons from microorganisms and that somehow makes them more benign. Microorganisms are made of millions and millions of atoms and the transfer of electrons transfer is how they (and we) power ourselves. If you remove electrons from a microorganism they will just get them from somewhere else.
Wow, thank you so much for the tip on the shower heads! There is a lot of chlorine in our water, I can smell it sometimes when I’m showering. I have a 4 year old and a 20 month old who bathe every other day and the whole house water filter just isn’t in the budget right now. The shower filter and dechlorinator are the perfect solution! So glad I found your blog!
This explains why I used to get so tired after taking a shower. Fortunately we have been using a good filter for shower head. But this shows once again that our skin will absorb all kinds of chemicals.
Our greedy masters will not protect us, as their purpose is to protect the profits of their masters, the large corporations and billionaires.
It could be wise not to allow anything to get on your skin that you would not ear, because it can get into your system and organs.
I’ve been using one of the Aquasana shower filters for years and I’m quite happy with it. Check them out here:
http://www.aquasana.com/product_detail.php?product_id=2
I have read that ascorbic acid neutralizes chlorine. That would be a less expensive alternative.
Yes, I put ascorbic acid powder in bath water. I switched from showers to baths for just this reason.
My city just switched to chloramines. Any info- and will the fiters work for these as well?
Chloramines are just as bad, maybe worse. Most filters don’t work to remove them. They are too small. Vitamins C works to neutralize but those filters are stupid expensive and don’t last very long.You can dissolve vitamins c capsules in your bath-cheaper but doesn’t work in hot water and if you’re running a hot bath, you have the steam issue. Water companies know the dangers of these chemicals but don’t have much choice to keep our water safe, especially in warm temperatures. If they had a choice to move to UV systems to kill bacteria they would but it’s expensive for small communities to switch over to a brand new almost entirely different water purification system. There has to be public support behind the huge funds it would take. And there’s also
Lack of knowledge to contend with.
Just an FYI with regard to using filters for chlorine — they do not work for water super hot water. I believe this is the case for temps above 103 degrees.
The best looking and also a very good filter is made by Sprite.
And don’t forget – watering your garden with chlorinated water harms the soil’s beneficial bacteria.
oh… not another thing! i can’t live this way! everything is harmful!
Hey…found this article after Googling “chlorine and wrinkles” because I swear after Hurricane Sandy I have these crazy old lady eye wrinkles that popped out. I was just washing my face and then I realized “Hey, they put extra chlorine in the water after the hurricane ‘just to be safe.'” Soooo….do you think my skin may be extra sensitive to the chlorine? I take a hot bath almost every other day….AND a shower. I have a shower filter, but it is old.
And what do you think about just putting dechlorinating drops in the bath tub?
I’ve been drinking tap water because I’ve been seeing little specs of things in my filtered drinking water in the water container. So just wondered if I was doing any damage by drinking tap water, I had no idea this was happening, and I have a weak digestive system as it is…thank you for the information. I will get a shower filter and take precaution for my 7 yr.old daughter, who has some tummy issues and my parents as well.
I have recently purchased a RainSoft whole house filter and under sink reverse osmosis system and found this website trying to verify claims the salesman had told me. I am very glad to see that my 5900 dollars was not a waste. I live oh Ohio with 13 gain hard water and the guy said this would remove chlorine and fluoride, although I don’t recall him mentioning chloramine. I have definitely noticed the difference on my skin.I am now considering the w benefits of applying cold pressed hexane free castor oil to my skin. I hear that it can help with hair loss and to restore good things in the body.
FWIW, I don’t think that bathing in chlorinated water will have the same severity of adverse effect on the gut flora as drinking chlorinated water, because when you drink it, you’re putting it straight into the gut. (I don’t think bathing in it is healthy, for other reasons – just sayin’. 🙂 )
I also found that I can’t drink our tap water, even after it’s been filtered, because it gives me heartburn. Weird, right? I made the connection, though, of the heartburn to drinking water, and did some checking online. Turns out that when you filter out chlorine, you actually filter out certain *components* of the chlorine, and at least one of those that remains has the ability to do exactly that (cause heartburn).
(I had a link to the scientific explanation, but I can’t seem to find it ATM.)
Here’s the link. I don’t really understand chemistry, but I get the gist: http://reflux-relief.com/
Monochloramine is Chlorines evil twin, it doesn’t smell and it’s just as (if not even more) toxic than Chlorine.
C-Vitamin Filters get rid of both of these toxins.
(And if you want to take a bath – just pour a proper dose of the Vitamin into it – and it will be rid of both Monochloramine and Chlorine.)
I am happy we don’t have Flouride in our water where I live.. yet. 😛
Thanks for this wonderfully interesting post. I am wondering if you are happy with the rainshow’r filter? I’m in Australia in a regional city and am having difficulties locating a filter locally, so am looking at getting one from the US. I’ve got my eye on the rainshow’r. Thanks 🙂
So do you put the vitamin c powder in the bath tub, then fill with water, or the other way around? It makes sense to me to put the powder in first to avoid the chlorine getting to into your lungs, but perhaps the powder becomes less effective the more water you put in the tub?
I’m interested in the vitamin C solution as well. Got a recommendation/info about a C shower filter? And how much C powder for a bath?
This is what I am dealing with right now. Going into day 3 and it sucks!! http://online.wsj.com/articles/in-toledo-ohio-residents-warned-water-unsafe-to-drink-1406992024
If only whole house filters were not so costly
Jamie, I’m dealing with that too. We have only four cases of water currently. Who knows how long this will last…
I’m washing one dish at a time – only as needed. Trying to conserve water.
We use a water filter all the time…lately the water is coming out green without filter
Yes, Aquasauna filters on both the kitchen faucet and the shower head, for several years now. I sold my house and I rent, otherwise I would have their whole-house filter.
Been using a filter on my shower head for a few years now, ever since my sons eczema got out of control. Made quite a difference.
Well water here.
just for drinking water. the shower filter was a fail for me, the flow rate was pathetic with my handheld shower. might be better with the more expensive ones but that’s just not in my budget.
Now I want to know how much whole house filters are. I have no idea. I live where the water is so hard we have to put a water softener on but I would rather do filter. Do not even know where to start!
We just got a water softener/carbon filter for the whole house best $1200 we’ve spent in a while
i saw that berkey had a shower filter but i dont know if it gets rid of chlorine and fluoride
Jamie, how scary! I hope you find a safer source for your water.
Chlorine absorbs through the skin. I have a chlorine allergy, so I notice wherever it is (and it is hidden in so many foods that do not have it on the label!). If I take showers in unfiltered water, I stay sensitized to the chlorine, and break out in hives more readily from other small accidental exposures. If I am overloaded with chlorine, a shower is enough to send me over the edge and I break out all over.
Once in the blood stream (from either ingestion or skin absorption), chlorine is nasty stuff. It is a strong carcinogen, it messes up the immune system, and contributes to infertility and miscarriage.
Some things that help get chlorine out of the body are cherries, milk thistle, and surprisingly, sodium nitrate. Lemonade (WITH sugar) also seems to really help. Those are all things that have made a difference in my tolerance level for chlorine.
We’re on well water and the community is pushing for everyone to be on board with city water soon in the future. I will never be on board with that.
This article was a life saver!! I have been taking two showers now a day for about 6 months in my new house. I take one in the morning and one at night and the one i take in the morning is usually a ery long shower to help wake me up. I have recently been having bad lung pain and fatigue. Our water is very hard at my house due to no filtration. Anyways i have been going to the doctor doing blood samples and chest xrays to figure out where this chest pain has been coming from, I like to exercise daily and i havent worked out in 3 weeks due to this lung pain and fatigue. When i read this article there was no doubt in my mind that this where it was coming from, i have now started taking one shower a day and keeping it as quick as possible and my symptoms disappeared! The chlorine in the water vapor was absolutely terrorizing my lungs. Needless to say i have been on a anitoxidant binge trying to get some of those free radicals that i saturated my body with lol
Yeah I was thinking about the pools as well. I have a pool but hardly go in it because there is no heater. But, my natural Doctor already told me that the pools could cause harm to me. I guess this just means more trips to the beach, or to the lake in the summer time. http://www.best-shower-head.com
We live in the country and have our own yummy, non-chlorinated and fluoride-free well water. 🙂
you can get a filter for your shower and tub for clorine
also WELL WATER – better check the PH on that – my moms had a ph of 3 – thats too much acid to be drinking but great for your skin
I would also do a water test on the well for minerals…we found uranium in ours…and had WAY too much iron…just because its a well dont mean its better
you should be able to look up online how deep your well should be drilled for your area…called water table…most people who drill wells only go so deep and dont drill deep enough for good water thats safe
I guess swimming is out then… 🙁
Use vitamin c spray to neutralize chlorine after swimming or take it
I agreed with you on the first sentence: “It makes intuitive sense that drinking chlorinated water can create imbalances in your intestinal flora.”
Yes, it does make _intuitive_ sense. Now we just have to take that intuition and back it up with a proper study.
Then, you lost me on the second sentence: “We know that chlorine will kill many of the good bacteria and microbes that live symbiotically with us in our gut.”
Nowhere in your post did I see a source for this claim.
This is so heartbreaking to me! That we are all exposed to these cancer causing things everyday and yet our loved ones suffer and die from these cancers without anyone knowing or DOING ANYTHING ABOUT PREVENTING THIS on a large scale! Can you talk a little about using the dishwasher and the chloroform building up? I’ve read that its only dangerous when you first open the door with the big puff of steam coming out and to just let the dishes dry before opening the door. However, would’t this just allow the chloroform to settle and dry ON THE DISHES that we will then eat off of? Please help!! Thank you!
I have wondered about this as well, regarding dishwashers, especially when chlorinated or bleach based dishwasher soaps are used! I live in an apartment and these vapors emerge and remain in this small space, so I started handwashing my dishes while wearing latex gloves. I felt better within a day.
Dishwashers even without the bleachy soap are serious considerations, IMO. I wonder about what remains on the dishes now that you raise the question.
Also, many apartments have laundry units right in the apartments, so there is risk of fumes from the washer and when the chlorine vaporizes in the dryer!
Thank you. That was all very helpful. I will definitely check out the options here for water filters for the home. Also, I was considering joining one of two fitness centers with indoor pools for the harsh midwest winters. One has saline water (with a little chlorine is what they told me). They said it is like what is used in an aquarium for fish. Hmm. Can fish swim with some chlorine in the water? The other a local fitness center that uses chlorine only. After reading your article the answer is clear as to which I would prefer.
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) will neutralise Chlorine in water very quickly.
It can be bought cheaply on Amazon or Ebay. Just.25g will neutralise a full bath.
MUCH Cheaper than the filters being peddled on this page !
I also posted about using vitamin C. Very useful stuff! How much is .25 grams in teaspoons? I generally use at least 5 grams (quarter tsp of ascorbic acid powder). Do you think that is overkill?
Chlorinated showers are horrible for any part of your body! Did you know that for every month in the shower you will absorb as much chlorine as drinking a glass of water every day for a year! Crazy.
And many people take not just one, but two showers a day! More need to be aware of this issue…
All true. Regular exposure to even tiny amounts of chlorine over a human lifetime adversely affects health and longevity. Take a look at the following:
http://whale.to/a/hatt.html
Most of us are used to filter our drinking water but not shower water. Thanks for mentioning the issue of chlorine shower. Water contains chlorine and so many heavy metals are so much harmful for our skin and hair. We are being injured on a daily basis during shower. So we must have to filter the shower water before use. There are so many shower filters can remove 90 % chlorine as well as other heavy metals. Just need the awareness to enjoy our daily shower without chlorine.
Chlorine is used in drinking water and swimming pool water to kill harmful bacteria. It is also as used as part of the sanitation process for industrial waste and sewage. Household chlorine bleach can release chlorine gas if it is mixed with certain other cleaning agents
So, it will harm human body most important part that is their Skin.
Do you think I could use this filter on the shower head we just bought?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Delta-7-Spray-Handheld-Showerhead-in-Chrome-75704/301138534
Kristen, I also never thought as well that water can cause of a health hazard! I just know about it from your post!
High levels of chlorine can irritate and dehydrate skin, cause weak and brittle hair, parched scalp, irritated lungs and are even linked to serious life-threatening health conditions such as bladder and colon cancer. It’s discouraging that we’re putting our health in so much danger daily with harmful chemicals such as chlorine and yet so many people are still very unaware of the continuous harm they’re doing to their body.
I recently had a shower after working a 12 hour shift
Just as I was getting out I got a bang on the door and a maintenance worker asked what I was doing in there
I thought that was obvious “ having a shower why
The reply I got shocked me ‘we are chlorinating the system you shouldn’t be in there
I asked well where are the signs telling me or anyone informing us this work is thanking place
He disappeared I got dressed went home itchy red thighs went to the hospital next day as my head felt weird light headed slight head pain but not a headache
Hospital said they could do nothing just bathe and moisturise
I have informed my company but because it is bank holiday and the weekend nothing is being done
The sub contractors who done this have also said they don’t measure the dose just pour it in and that I had a full dose whatever that is
I am worried sick about the long term affects still itchy an a funny head 3 days later and although asked for blood tests to confirm toxicity the nhs in England refused to carry out a blood test because I hadn’t swallowed the said poison please help
Zar, your best bet may be taking vitamin C to bowel tolerance (loose bowels) and to keep it up daily until you feel better. C is a great anti-toxin.
Sauna would be a good idea too, I think, to sweat out the stuff. You’ll be fine.
One problem with almost all of those filters is that they don’t remove chloramines which wreck the same havoc on your body. Chloramines are smaller and aren’t captured by the filters. Most city water has higher concentrations of chloramines than chlorine, meaning they use chloramines instead or in addition to a sing chlorine.
Vitamin C neutralizes chlorine and chloramine. I just dump about 10 grams ascorbic acid powder (a half teaspoon or so) in bath water.
I also like to add baking soda, borax, and Epsom salt or magnesium flakes. I used to have a vitamin C filter for shower, but it got used up so fast, and I just decided to stick to baths with C added.
If chlorine kills gut flora then what about Hal that you recommend, even that has chlorine as in hydrochloride acid. Which is also present in the stomach?
Hello, I have a question: bathing in a pool with salt chlorination is healthy or is it better to avoid it?
Thanks
I knew this a long time ago, but had forgotten it because we live in a rural area and are on a well. Makes me thankful. But in Texas…pools in the summer….bummer!
What about chlorinated hot tubs? We have a house filter to take care of showering, but I am in our hot tub daily!!!!