(AOL) – Those red eyes you get from swimming aren’t caused by chlorine, according to an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For their annual Healthy Swimming Program, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) teamed with Water Quality and the Health Council and the National Swimming Pool Foundation to educate Americans about the dangers of pools and how to stay healthy when swimming, Women’s Health reports.
Beach went on to say that the cough you can get from an indoor pool is also caused by the chemical reaction. The chlorine isn’t what causes the irritation in your lungs; it’s pee.
There’s actually been an increase in disease outbreaks from public swimming pools, according to Beach, thanks in large part to those swimming while they have diarrhea. Those with diarrhea don’t even have to defecate in the pool to spread disease, but just have the germs on their body, which is why the CDC encourages swimmers to shower before getting in the pool.