Dust mites are one of the most common causes for asthmatic, respiratory and allergenic reactions, and gym goers may be running a higher risk of feeling the effects, explains Avin Levy, MD for Germophobe Laboratories - a pharmaceutical company, specialising in the production of safe, non-toxic product ranges for the alleviation of dust mite, bed bug and pet allergies.
“Gyms especially, due to their high volumes of activity, are prime breeding grounds for dust mites, and the constant activity in an enclosed area, produces far more airborne particles for inhalation, such as the dust mite faeces. The pathogens in the dust mite excrement can be highly allergenic for many people. Ventilation in gyms can also often exacerbate the problem, with high volumes of airborne particles, ventilation filters may often not be replaced as often as necessary,” says Levy. If you have a significant allergy to dust mites and your gym is quite dusty you can suffer from exercise-induced asthma or EIA, which can severely affect your exercise regime.
“However, dust mites that affect your gym performance may not only be thriving in the gym itself, many gym goers can actually suffer from respiratory difficulties from dust mite infestations in their own homes, causing a debilitating effect on their breathing due to diminished lung capacity.” Exercise induced asthma affects 12-13% of people.
Dust mites cause the majority of problems in the bed, where they infest bedding and pillows. This is due to the fact that they feed off dead skin cells, which are most widespread in our beds due to the time we spend in close contact with the bedding.
Levy continues “Allergic reactions caused by dust mites can often lead to a disruptive sleep pattern, culminating in restless and shallow bouts of sleep.” A recent study by the University of Pretoria on the potential risk factors of respiratory disease found that of the South African adult population 13.1% had nocturnal coughing and 10.8% nocturnal wheezing or a tight chest.
“Getting a proper nights sleep is crucial to the effective repair and daily functioning of your mind and body. The negative effects of a bad nights rest can easily be attested to by anyone who has had a disrupted nights sleep. Not only is your overall functioning impaired but recovery times will also be slower. Many athletes feel these effects of poor sleep patterns, but are unaware of the cause.”
“However, knowledge of the problem combined with the right actions can lead to a dramatic change in the symptoms caused by dust mites. This is precisely what Germophobe’s new MiteFree™ range of products have been developed to do in order to drastically reduce the allergic effects of dust mites on those affected, with a Dust Mite Spray as well as a Laundry Additive,” concludes Levy.
The products range in price from ZAR70 for the MiteFree™ Dust Mite Laundry Additive, to ZAR80 for the MiteFree™ Dust Mite Spray.
The product range is available at Pick ‘n Pay, SPAR, DIS-CHEM, Baby City, Toys R Us stores as well as other leading pharmacies, health and pet stores countrywide.