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Why older women may be more sensitive to allergens

by Mary E. Clancy RN,CIEC,CMRS,HHS
(Virginia)

I am an RN and a Certified Indoor Environmentalist. I have been researching and compiling information on women's health and wellness in the workplace and have found that women over 45 years of age are 38% more likely to report air quality problems in the work place than women under 45.

I know this after completing hundreds of indoor air quality assessments as a field inspector and from available documentation. Although there are many factors to consider, the increased sensitivity to air contaminants cannot be ignored. A decrease in hormone levels may result in less tolerance to environmental toxins due to faster more pronounced imflammatory response.

This may have a significant impact on women's health and on workplace productivity.

At this time more research is needed though. I will continue to work on my project and others as an environmentalist and healthcare practitioner.

Thank you for being an excellent resource on this important topic.

Comments for Why older women may be more sensitive to allergens

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Jun 21, 2009
 Why older women may be more sensitive to allergens
by: Wray

Hi Mary. Thanks for your kind words! If you should ever come across anything you feel would benefit our visitors please make another contribution, it's so needed. In fact if it helps you in your work and to spread the word about pollution, we would be more than happy for you to have a page on our web site.

I entirely endorse your comment: "A decrease in hormone levels may result in less tolerance to environmental toxins due to faster more pronounced inflammatory response."

This is so true of many women going through peri-menopause, who have low progesterone with it's anti-inflammatory properties and high oestrogen which is an excitatory hormone. There is so much we need to learn about the oestrogen mimics we use within the home and office, hidden in the cleaning materials we use, out-gassing from carpets, furniture etc., not to mention the pesticides we use around the house.

Please consider having a page on our website! Take care, Wray.

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