Facing an especially cold winter this year, many people are attempting to stay warm by taking long, hot showers or baths, a practice that could increase the risks of cancer if done in an enclosed space, doctors said yesterday.
While many people enjoy taking a hot bath or shower, few are aware of the health risks associated with the activity, they said.
Chiang Shou-shan (江守山), a nephrologist at Shin-Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, said taking long, hot showers or baths for more than 20 minutes in a confined space with no circulation of fresh air could have a negative impact on a person’s health, because small amounts of chlorine and trihalomethanes (THM) found in tap and drinking water become volatile when the water is heated.
The chemicals can enter the body through the respiratory -system as a person breathes in the steam, Chiang said.
The longer the hot shower, the more THMs a person inhales, Chiang said.
Increasing shower time from five minutes to 10 minutes, for example, could cause a person to breathe in four to five times more THMs, he said.
THM is a byproduct of the small amount of chlorine added to the water supply by municipal authorities as a disinfectant. However, overexposure to THMs can increase the risks of developing various forms of cancer, including colon cancer, pancreatic cancer and bladder cancer.
The chemicals are also harmful to the liver and kidneys, and could increase the risks of miscarriage in women, he said.
Lin Ja-liang (林杰樑), a specialist in clinical toxicology at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Linkou District (林口), said that by limiting hot showers to less than 10 minutes and reducing the temperature of the water, a person could drastically decrease the amount of THMs absorbed by the body.
Turning on the fan in the bathroom to allow for air circulation was also a good way to avoid breathing in too many toxins from a steamy shower, he said.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious