Is Chlorine In My Drinking Water Dangerous?
The current levels of chlorine added to water by municipalities are non-toxic for humans. Many municipalities add chemicals to kill bacteria in the water and other harmful organisms that may make us sick if we ingest them. Swimming pools also add water as a disinfectant and this has been a method that has been used commercially and domestically since the 1800s.
Even though the correct amounts of chlorine diluted in water are non-toxic, it still has harmful effects. Ingesting chlorine that is commonly mixed with tap water can have adverse effects on health. Chlorine forms trihalomethanes which have been associated with several adverse health issues. Let us discuss a few below.
1. Asthma:
Some studies suggest that prolonged exposure to chlorine in water can lead to respiratory problems. Even swimming in pools that have unsafe levels of chlorine can have adverse effects because the skin tends to absorb the chlorinated water. Bathing in chlorinated water can also aggravate respiratory diseases due to the chlorine being inhaled by you. the form of steam of the water that comes out of the shower.
2. Food Allergies:
A recent study shows that people with the highest levels of dichlorophenols in their bodies are likely to have the most food allergies.
3. Congenital Abnormalities:
In Taiwan, a study of four lakh people showed that women who are exposed to trihalomethanes in chlorinated water while they are pregnant are likely to give birth to children with defects. These defects may include a cleft palate, ventricular defects, holes in the heart, or even low development of the brain.
4. Bladder And Rectal Cancer:
Older studies have worked to prove the link between trihalomethanes and cancer. Chlorine has been linked with carcinogenic effects in the past but more studies are needed to prove this 100%. However, it doesnât hurt to be more careful.
5. A Bad Taste And Smell:
Even if the chlorine levels in your water are considered to be within the safe levels, the taste or the odor may be putting you off while drinking water which may lead to you consuming less than you need in a day.
6. Chlorine Makes You Gain Weight:
On several levels, drinking or bathing in chlorinated water might affect weight gain. Chlorine is a toxic substance that causes your thyroidâs iodine to be removed, resulting in hypothyroidism and unfavorable symptoms like hot flashes and weight gain.Â
Additionally, your liver is less able to execute other crucial tasks like burning fat properly because it is too busy releasing additional estrogen. The antioxidants like vitamins E and A that frequently protect your healthy fats from damage are also killed by chlorine. Without this protection, you could end up lacking crucial fatty acids like omega 3, 6, and 9, which would lead to more weight gain.
7. Killing Good Gut Bacteria:
It has been discovered that the bacteria in our drinking water are cleverer. Since being sensitized by chlorination, many water-borne parasites, like Giardia and Cryptosporidium, have developed additional layers of chlorine resistance, which has shown to be much less effective.Â
As a water disinfectant designed to kill bacteria, chlorine absorbs precisely in the GI tract, killing out beneficial gut flora like lactobacillus. Without these helpful bacteria, the immune system suffers, and multiple studies have now linked poor gut health to concerns with childrenâs mental well-being.Â
Despite linking poor gut health to conditions including asthma, bowel disease, obesity, and hypersensitivity, a recent study discovered a connection between temperament and the existence of beneficial bacteria.
Seeing as we have spoken about the many demerits of having chlorine in your water, Let us now talk about removing chlorine from your water to ensure your safety. One of the best ways to remove chlorine from your water is by using carbon. Carbon filters can help you purify the water as carbon binds itself to chlorine thus preventing it from entering the flow of water that leaves the carbon filter. Homes that receive chlorinated water are recommended carbon filters so that any water entering the home is secure and chlorine free.












