Are Your Workout Clothes Killing You?

We’re fond of bragging to our friends – “Whoa, I did a workout yesterday that just killed me!”

No one takes it literally… but those words may ring true in a way you never could have imagined.

Turns out what you’re wearing when you exercise literally could be killing you.

Sound like something out of a science fiction movie?

Read on.

In a recent opinion piece in CNN, journalist Alden Wicker – author of – How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick – And How We Can Fight Back – discussed the sobering facts about harmful workout wear.

Sharing findings from the Center of Environmental Health – a company that fights for laws and policies to protect consumers from toxic items – he pointed out the damage that cute outfit you wore to the gym last week maybe doing to your bod. Unfortunately there are a lot of nasty chemicals often used by manufacturers to make exercise clothing – just check out this piece by the Center of Environmental Health who is suing seven companies for their use of bisephonal A (BPA) in sports bras and athletic shirts.

If you don’t know what BPA does to a healthy body, it’s not pretty.

You’re probably familiar with BPA because it’s come under a lot of scrutiny in the past decade or so due to its role in plastics. As explained by Healthline, an unsafe number of BPAs can cause infertility, unwanted weight gain (how ironic is that for workout clothes?), heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. In addition, Wicker shared that they’ve also found BPAs can contribute to breast cancer, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, brain and behavior disorders.

UGH!

According to the Center of Environmental Health, bras made by Athleta, PINK, Asics, The North Face, All in Motion, Nike, and FILA and activewear shirt brands including The North Face, Mizuno, Athleta, New Balance, and Reebok have 22 times the number of BPAs that are safe for the average human body.

It doesn’t stop there. Other chemicals such as bisphenol S and F, lead, mercury, arsenic, PFAs and more are also hazardous, and companies are using them in their clothing as well like it’s not a problem.

So, how can you protect yourself other than just working out naked?

Wicker shared four ways:

1. “Avoid synthetic materials whenever possible. For example, the advocacy group CEH found BPA only in polyester spandex blends, not in cotton products. Also avoid PVC products like cheap vegan leather shoes and fashion, which contain phthalates.”
2. “Avoid counterfeit and ultra-cheap fashion brands — the kind with gibberish names you come across on social media and marketplaces like Amazon and that ship straight to you from the factory. Look for labels like bluesign, Oeko-Tex and GOTS.”
3. “Wash all new clothing before you wear it in fragrance-free detergent and avoid the use of scented dryer sheets and fabric softeners.”
4. “Finally, if it smells bad, package it back up and send it back.”

Keeping in shape as a cammer means you’re probably working out a lot, so get serious about the health threat of toxic chemicals in your clothes. There’s no reason to expose yourself to harmful fabrics that will not only reverse the benefits of your awesome workout routine but cause future health problems. 

Main photo credit: iStock.com/Lilit Amirkhanian
Photo credit: iStock.com/breakermaximus

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Alyssa Collins hails from Minnesota, where snowy days were the perfect excuse to stay warm inside and write. Over the years, she turned that joy into a career and has authored numerous articles for various publications (under pen names). Email Alyssa via alyssa@ynot.com.