Do you know the effects that air conditioning have on your health?

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By Flora McCraith, MSN, Updated: 3/19/2010

Keeping Malaysia cool

Do you know the effects that air conditioning have on your health?

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Among plenty of other factors, one of the reasons that we love Malaysia is the glorious weather all year round, which certainly puts a smile on our face and a spring in our step. The tropical climate, however, means that we have become far too dependent on air conditioning to keep us cool and whether it is really needed or not, it will be on full blast in shopping centres, restaurants, homes, offices and hotels.

Air conditioning without a doubt, is a benefit in uncomfortable humid temperatures and most people are thankful for its invention. While we welcome its cooling effects and the relief from the unrelenting heat we can often experience outside, it could actually be doing more harm than good.

Scientists and research have found that in actual fact, while there are many benefits to air conditioning, it is actually doing harm to our health.

The unnecessary refrigeration of Malaysia has become a chronic disease and it seems to have gotten worse over the past few years, with thermostats routinely set at chilling temperatures.

What are the hazards of A/C?

Weight

This may sound ridiculous, but comfortable temperatures have been added by researchers to the “Top Ten” other contributors to obesity. When our bodies are uncomfortable, they use up energy to bring us to a more stable level. When we are too cold, we burn fat to stay warm. When we are too hot, we naturally become less hungry. Also, our bodies react to disagreeable temperatures by shivering and sweating. Heating and air-conditioning make life easier by regulating our body temperature for us. Basically, the body does not have to expend hardly any energy to heat or cool itself, which results in increased fat stores.

Harmful microbes

Air conditioners also need regular maintenance, as the moist environments in the filters can encourage the growth of harmful microbes and has been known to result in serious conditions such as Legionnaires disease. This maintenance is often forgotten and can result in these filters becoming breeding grounds for microbes.

SBS – Sick Building Syndrome

Try telling someone, who steps into a cool air conditioned office after they have been in the sweltering heat, that air conditioning is a bad thing. The blessing that it brings is as satisfying as an ice cold drink to the hot and thirsty.

However, in 1982, the World Health Organisation (WHO) first recognised the condition SBS or ‘sick building syndrome’ which approximated that 30% of office buildings worldwide have considerable problems with indoor air quality. SBS is a widespread problem that describes an assortment of medical conditions caused by dangerous chemicals, pathogens and other airborne contaminants found in many homes and office buildings.

The main causes are due to flaws in heating, ventilation and air conditioning units, and lack of fresh air among other things. In hot humid climates, like Kuala Lumpur, it is moisture that is the primary culprit.

Headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, sneezing, sore throat, memory and breathing problems, skin rash, mood changes and difficulty in concentrating are the most common complaints and a study done in Malaysia found that if ventilation is increased among typical office buildings, on average, it will significantly reduce prevalence of SBS.(Source: Global Journal of Health Science)

Why does this happen?

Breathing in recycled air means that you are breathing in recycled germs, so when one person falls sick, the whole office can too. The air conditioning system, unfortunately, seems to spread germs around as quickly as it brings relief from the outdoors.

Not only that, but in Malaysia, the ducts associated with the air conditioning units are full of fungal and bacterial growth, which is most likely the cause of sick building syndrome. The ducts (which sometimes aren’t cleaned as often as they should) accumulate fungal and other growths which can be considerable in ducts of old buildings.

The grime includes dead insects, cockroach’s droppings, dust and soil. This dirt and the humidity is the perfect environment for germs and even more so if there is dormant water, which can collect in air conditioning draining pans and ducts. The germs, dust and mould is enough to cause constant flu-like symptoms in sensitive people. Also, repeated exposure to indoor allergens and airborne particles could lead to respiratory symptoms and conditions.

You’re hot then you’re cold

There is also evidence to suggest that it is unhealthy for the body to undergo sudden changes from extremely hot environments to air conditioned ones. Scientific studies have shown that those who work for extensive periods in air conditioning environments and those who work outdoors, prove that those exposed to air conditioning, are much more susceptible to common ailments.

Dry as a bone

Air conditioning units take the sizzle out of hot days by blowing warm air over metal coils filled with a refrigerant. This not only lowers the air temperature, but also condenses the water vapours in the air, producing a cooler, drier indoor climate.This then removes any moisture from the air, which ultimately leaves our skin very dry as they aren’t selective about where that moisture comes from. Some of the moisture that is pulled from the air conditioned room is removed from the skin. Moisture is essential for the skin to maintain its elasticity and without it, the skin shrivels, creases and wrinkles. In other words, the aging process is speeded up.

Life’s Cool with LG

In light of the above, LG has launched their new ‘Life’s Cool’ air conditioners, which includes a Health+ (Health Plus) range which are equipped with PLASMA filters. These filters provide 99% protection from viruses, including H1N1, which has been certified by KITASATO Research and Centre of Environmental Science in Japan.

With their cutting-edge technology, their air conditioners twice sterilises various bacteria, moulds and allergens. They also have an allergy filter which stops allergy-causing substances from circulating in the air and minimises the chances of allergic reactions that cause asthma and skin rashes by changing the nature of the allergen proteins. This has been given the British Allergy Foundation seal of approval.

The H1N1 filter is installed to sterilise the virus effect and the PLASMA filter has been developed to remove microscopic contaminant and dust, but it also removes house mites, pollen, pet fur and odour such as cigarette smell.

LG is also the first in its kind to produce air conditioners with stand alone air purifiers. As we know, the air quality that we breathe in today is a lot worse compared to earlier times. Therefore, with air purifiers, the designated area will tend to have less contaminant in the air (dust, pollen, mould spurs). The reason of removing all these unnecessary contaminants is to protect allergy sufferers, asthmatics and to avoid SBS.

Lastly, their automatic function will dry the wet heat exchanger to prevent moulds and bacteria from breeding. It will get rid of air conditioners' odours and actually save you from frequent cleaning efforts.For more information go to

www.lge.com.my

or call 1-800-822-822