Volatile organic compounds – which are also known as VOCs – are certainly nothing to be taken lightly here in the United States. After all, new research surrounding these volatile organic compounds is coming to light, and this research shows just how detrimental exposure to such things can be – and not just here in the United States but all throughout the world as a whole. For children and adults alike, the effect of volatile organic compounds is nothing less than considerable.
For instance, children tend to be particularly impacted by exposure to volatile organic compounds, particularly if this exposure lasts for a considerable amount of time. In one study, the health effects from VOCs were particularly pronounced, as this study was conducted on children living in the homes with the top 25% most severe volatile organic compound concentrations. In such homes, it should come as no surprise that health effects from VOCs were considerable.
For many of these children, asthma developed or was worsened (if it was preexisting). In fact, the children who lived in these homes had a more than 100% chance of developing asthma, a condition that can have lifelong – and even life threatening, depending on the severity of the disease as well as the treatment available for it – implications. In addition to this, the rates and chances of developing eczema were also raised – and while eczema tends not to be as dangerous or as serious, it is still a condition that can be painful and otherwise difficult to live with. And the chances of developing some level of rhinitis were raised the most of all – on average, by more than 300% when all was said and done.
Such children – and all children who are exposed to volatile organic compounds and PGEs – are also more likely to develop allergies later on in life, as well as during their childhood years. In fact, studies have shown that such children have a doubled chance of having more severe allergic sensitivities than their counterparts who are not exposed to volatile organic compounds on a regular basis – and therefore do not suffer the health effects from VOCs.
But though such children are primarily the ones being impacted by the health effects from VOCs, adults – even adults who are otherwise quite healthy – can suffer from the health effects from VOCs as well. In fact, one study done on a group of office workers found that one of the primary health effects from VOCs actually impacted the cognition of the entire group. When this group was removed to an environmentally controlled environment for a week’s worth of work, their cognitive function soared by more than 100%. This shows clearly how prominent the health effects from VOCs can truly be – even if we don’t at first actually notice them.
But how can we curtail our VOC exposure as much as is possible? For one thing, getting the right kind of paint can very much help. From choosing the right paint for painting floors to painting a porch to providing paint coverage in the form of paint for the nursery, there are many ways that volatile organic compounds can be introduced to the home through the use of paint. Fortunately, however, paints that are low in these volatile organic compounds – or even just free from them entirely – can have a considerable impact on your overall health. And such paints are more accessible than ever before, no matter where you might be living here in the United States.
Odorless paints are also being used more frequently in various places of work throughout the country as well. The use of odorless paint is ideal not just for any given person’s level of comfort in any given workplace, but can even improve not just cognitive function, but productivity and overall performance along with it. For many people, working in a place that limits volatile organic compounds is likely to prove to be quite hugely beneficial indeed, all things considered surrounding our knowledge of the health effects of VOCs.