Staying Fit
For many vacationers, unwinding means indulging in a soothing soak in a hot tub at a hotel, resort or vacation rental. However, before you dip your toes, especially if you’re an older adult, consider the potential health risks associated with using a public hot tub.
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2015 to 2019, found a total of 208 confirmed outbreaks of illness associated with “treated recreational water,” primarily involving public swimming pools, hot tubs and water playgrounds. These outbreaks resulted in 3,646 cases of illness, 286 hospitalizations and 13 deaths. Although most outbreaks occurred in June, July or August, health experts believe the actual numbers may be significantly higher since many cases go unreported.
Hot tubs can be a particular concern for vacationers. During the study’s five-year period, 1 in 3 water-related outbreaks were connected to hotels or resorts, according to the CDC. Among those, the majority were associated with hot tubs (70 percent).
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Read on for health-related reasons you may want to avoid hot tubs, especially if you’re an older adult.
Who should avoid hot tubs?
It may come as no shock that your body temperature rises when you’re in a hot tub. But the heat may put stress on the heart of someone with heart disease. Usually, the body produces sweat to cool you down, but this process is less effective in a hot tub, making it easier to overheat. As a result, your blood vessels expand to try to release the heat, diverting blood from your core and increasing your heart rate.
Identifying a Healthy Hot Tub
Use your senses. If a hot tub smells like chlorine, that doesn’t mean it’s clean. In any treated water in a hot tub, swimming pool or water playground, that distinct smell occurs when chlorine mixes with an excess of urine, sweat and other contaminants.
The sides of a hot tub should not feel sticky or slippery.
Make sure you hear the pumps and filtration systems to ensure that they are working.
Conduct your own inspection. Before going into the water, review the inspection score of a hot tub, either online or physically posted nearby. Alternatively, test strips to check the chlorine, bromine and pH levels can be purchased at hardware, pool supply or similar stores. Follow these guidelines:
- Chlorine should be at least 3 ppm (parts per million) in hot tubs.
- Bromine, an alternative to chlorine, should read at least 4 ppm in hot tubs.
- The pH level represents how effectively germs are killed and should be 7.2 to 7.8.
Remember to shower for one minute before entering a hot tub. Doing so should remove about 70 percent of contaminants from the skin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For those with heart disease, this may lead to:
- Low blood pressure (or, if you have blood vessel disease, increased blood pressure)
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Irregular heart rhythms
- Poor blood flow
- Heart attack
Certain medications can also put you at higher risk for heat-related health problems. For example, blood pressure medications such as beta-blockers can slow the heart rate, interfering with the body’s ability to cool itself. And diuretics can increase salt and water excretion, putting you at greater risk for dehydration and heat exhaustion.
Additionally, people who have epilepsy or seizure disorders should always use a hot tub in the presence of someone they trust who can assist in case of an emergency. Pregnant women are advised to avoid hot tubs because it may harm the fetus, especially during the first trimester, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
